Dear Diary
by inkyfingers999
Summary: The diary of Sarah Anne Turner, 11-year-old daughter of Will and Elizabeth, along with her friend Kristie Sparrow. How to describe it?.. Mystery, crime, adventure, family, friendship and a ton of other stuff. Please tell me what you think!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: If you recognize anyone, they're not mine, sadly. But Sarah, Robert, Kristie, Jonathan and anyone else you haven't seen before were my idea! Mine, I tell you! MINE! Muahahaha! :D Without further ado...

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><p><em>Thursday, the 19th of September<em>

_Aboard the Black Pearl_

_Dear Diary,_

_My mother gave me this little book for my birthday yesterday. She told me that when she was about my age, she started to keep a diary, and she thought I would enjoy it. She told me I should write down everything, the good and the bad, so I can give my diary to my daughter when I'm all grown up. I told her I shall do my very best, and I find the idea rather exciting, but I admit I am a bit apprehensive. I am still quite young, and my writing is far from perfect. But I shall try._

_To start out, I think I should introduce myself. My name is Sarah Anne Turner, eleven years old, daughter of Will and Elizabeth Turner. My mother and father are pirates, but they are the most wonderful and loving parents a child could ask for. Sadly, I have only known my own father for twenty-one months. For ten long years, he was cursed, bound to sail as the captain of the Flying Dutchman, carrying the spirits of those who died at sea to the underworld. However, because my mother remained faithful to him, he is now free to remain with his family._

_Although I spent nine years and three months of my life with only my mother, I now find it difficult to imagine life without my father. Until relatively recently, I never know how it was to have a complete family. My greatest fear is that one of my parents might be taken from me again. I am not entirely sure I could carry on if I were to lose either of them.  
><em>

_Aside from my parents, my dearest friend is Kristianna Sparrow, Uncle Jack's daughter, whom I call Kristie. She is just two weeks younger than I, and I have spent many hours with her, imagining we're bold, brave pirates. Oftentimes I wonder what sort of things go through her mind, for surely we are two drastically different individuals. All the same, I love her as I would a sister, and each night when I pray I thank God for my wonderful friend. She has a twin brother, named Robert. He's friendly enough, but sometimes he acts odd around me. He stutters sometimes when I'm around, and he hardly ever looks me in the eye. To be quite honest, it irritates me. I dislike it when people are uncomfortable in my presence. She also has a two-year-old brother named Jonathan, whom we often must help look after.  
><em>

_Although my parents insist that I spend at least a good portion of my childhood in Port Royal, I absolutely love the sea. Mother says I get that from Father. She says I get my looks from him too, my dark brown curls and eyes the color of coffee. I suppose she's right. It seems that she's always right._

_As I write these words, I am sitting on an old crate out on deck. Abigail Norrington, a wealthy girl from Port Royale, was once on the same trip with me aboard the Dauntless. I was at first quite excited at the thought. I anticipated playing with her as I play with Kristie. But much to my dismay, she spent practically the entire journey in her cabin! I simply can't understand why anyone would want to lock themselves in a stuffy room when they could be out on the deck with the sun shining down and the wind in your face. To me, that feeling is absolute bliss.  
><em>

_I can't think of anything more that needs to be written at the moment. I shall write again soon._

_Always,_

_Sarah Turner_

She closed the book slowly, being careful to keep the soft pages straight. She pressed the cork into her small bottle of ink and laid the white quill pen atop the diary. Her diary. The idea of recording her thoughts made her feel older, more mature. A satisfied grin spread across her face as she looked down on the light brown leather cover bearing the word "Diary" across the top. She gently tucked the book into he small satchel resting against the side of the crate, along with her writing tools. She stood and wandered to the weather-worn railing. She rested her slender arms atop the wood beam and stood on tiptoe to lean out over the rail. Her eyes closed dreamily while a salty ocean breeze gently caressed her face and lifted her dark locks from her shoulders. She looked back over her shoulder. The Pearl's crew were scattered about the ship, some working busily, others simply enjoying the day.

The pirates never seemed unhappy to her. They were cheerful as they went about their work, whistling and singing to themselves. She simply didn't understand why people were so prejudiced against them. In Port Royal, her peers often cast her distasteful glances as she passed by, murmuring amongst themselves. At a very young age, Sarah learned to keep her chin up and ignore the repulsed glares and nasty comments directed towards herself and her family. But here on the Pearl, she found freedom and acceptance. No wonder pirates chose the path they did.

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><p><em>Saturday, the 21st of September<em>

_Dear Diary,_

_I am worried about Mum. She has been acting strange as of late, and I don't know what to make of it. She seemed to be feeling queer on Thursday and Friday morning, and I decided it was probably just a bout of sea-sickness. But that's not like my mother. The feel of the rolling waves and the rocking ship are normal for her, and I've never seen her fazed by it before. Then when she felt ill again this morning, I really began to feel uneasy. Father has been acting different around her, too. He is so very gentle with her, even more so than usual. In all my eleven years, I have never seen Mum seasick._

_Much to my dismay, none of the crew seem to be the least bit concerned for her! They act as though this is nothing new; as if all is well. Father does not seem unhappy at all, and if he thought something were wrong with Mum, I'm certain he would be quite unable to sleep at night. I have observed Mum and Anamaria sharing meaningful smiles from time to time, as Mum and I did in the days leading up to Father's return. The very worst of it is, no one has told me anything at all! I believe I shall discuss this with Kristianna._

_Always, _

_Sarah Turner_

She set down the diary and glanced up. At the bow of the boat her mother stood talking with Anamaria Sparrow, Kristie's mother. Sarah's eyes scanned the deck, searching for her father. If she guessed correctly, he would be trying to glance over and check on her mother without Jack noticing. She spotted him high in the rigging of the ship, repairing a torn sail. Sure enough, he made sure no one was watching, then glanced around said sail to catch a glimpse of his wife. When he saw her at the bow, he smiled to himself. She was feeling fine.

Sarah closed her eyes as she recalled the day he had come home at last. She had been just nine years old at the time. She and her mother had risen as soon as the first rays of light peeked over the horizon. Neither had been able to sleep the night before. Even into the first hours of the morning, she could hear her mother tossing and turning. Sarah herself, only nine years old at the time, had been a bundle of nerves in the weeks leading up to that day.

That evening, the sun sank agonizingly slow. Mother and daughter stood together at the sandy shore, eyes fixed intently on the shimmering blue waves. After what seemed like an eternity, the legendary ship appeared in a flash of brilliant green, and Sarah's heart skipped a beat. There, leaning precariously out from the ship, was the figure of a man whom she assumed to be her father. As the _Dutchman_ came closer, he apparently could wait no longer, and he leaped nimbly from the ship, diving gracefully into the water below. She had never seen a human being swim as fast as her father swam to shore that evening.

The moment Will's feet reached the mucky sand of the shallows, he and Elizabeth ran towards each other with every ounce of strength they had. Before Will even reached the warm, dry sand, his wife met him in the knee-deep water. From where she stood, only about fifty paces from the gentle tide, Sarah could hardly tell where her mother ended and her father began, so tangled in an embrace were they. She could hear both crying and laughing from both of them for several long moments, before Will leaned down and covered Elizabeth's smiling mouth with his own.

Sarah had seen Uncle Jack and Anamaria kiss before, although no one but Kristie knew what she had observed. It had seemed a bit odd to her at the time. She remembered thinking to herself that people enjoyed some rather unusual pastimes. In the months leading up to Will's homecoming, she had often wondered what the big day would be like. She had imagined that her parents would do something similar to what Jack and Ana had. However, the couple's long-awaited reunion was quite different from what she had pictured.

Oh, he kissed her, she had certainly been correct about that- approximately a hundred times, Sarah thought to herself. It was as though they were making up for all the kisses fate had denied them. Once, she had seen a man on the streets of London who, Kristie told her, probably had not eaten in several days. That sight had broken her heart, and she had wanted desperately to help him somehow. She had been deeply upset when she could do nothing to help him but give him a few coins to buy bread. Looking at her parents, she was reminded of that homeless man. It was plain to see that they were both starving- not from lack of food, from lack of love. Sarah felt a deep sorrow when she realized just how lonely they had been; denied of even the simple joy of being held. Their young daughter began to question whether or not they even required oxygen.

It was as if they were each afraid that if they loosened their hold on the other, they would wake up from some wonderful, yet cruel, dream. Sarah had lingered a little ways back, unsure of what to do next. After what seemed like forever to Sarah and like nowhere near enough time to her mother, Elizabeth managed to pull back a little ways, and Sarah could finally see her father's face.

At first, she had been taken aback at just how great the resemblance was between her father and herself. They had the same unruly dark curls, the same deep brown eyes, and as she would later learn, the same sense of humor and similar facial expressions. She wondered if one day she might become a pirate herself, roaming the ocean with a buccaneer crew...

Her musings were interrupted by her mother's voice calling her name. "Sarah, this is your father."

Will Turner's eyes had welled up with tears when he saw the girl at the water's edge. He turned to his wife, motioning back and forth between himself and Elizabeth, then to Sarah, seemingly incapable of coherent speech. Elizabeth smiled softly and nodded, tears beginning to form in her own eyes. As he turned to face her, Sarah somewhat timidly took a step towards her father. Tentatively, he reached out for a hug, a hopeful expression on his face. Then, after nearly a decade of only knowing her father through stories, she threw herself into her father's arms.

Now she had known him for a year and nine months. In the time since his homecoming, Sarah had observed a change in her mother. For years now it had seemed to Sarah that, no matter what she said or how she acted, there was a sadness that hung over Elizabeth like a fog. Now that loneliness was gone from her eyes and replaced by vibrant happiness that reverberated throughout her very being. While some children would feel left out in a situation such as this, the girl had been overjoyed to see her mother so blissfully happy.

But much to her dismay, it seemed trouble had interrupted their family's happy ending. Elizabeth was sick. Although common sense told her it was nothing to fuss over; that it would pass as quickly as it had come, still Sarah worried. For less than two years she had had a complete family, and, as she had written, her deepest fear was that one of the happy trio would be torn from the other two. Therefore, no matter how trivial her worries may seem to others, she had a habit of viewing every hindrance, every challenge, as a threat. And who could blame her?


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Bad news- I don't own Pirates! NOOO! (Sobs uncontrollably) What is the world coming to?

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><p><em>Sunday, the 22nd of September<em>

_Dear Diary,_

_Mum remains ill, although still no one speaks a word of it but Pintel and Ragetti. I was rather surprised that they would be the ones to mention it, as they tend to be, shall we say, a bit dull. Just last night, they were talking between themselves about "Wot's wrong wit' Missus Turna', d'ya think?" For once, they seem to be the only ones who realize what is going on. I was utterly shocked when I heard Uncle Jack murmur to Anamaria, "Lizabeth is lookin' right fine these days." I began to doubt whether I had heard correctly. However, I learned that I had indeed understood her when Anamaria smilingly replied, "She's doing fine, just fine." Has everyone gone blind? No, my mother is not looking fine!_

_I intended to speak with Kristie yesterday, but we were unfortunately interrupted by an argument between my mother and Uncle Jack. Of all those on board the Black Pearl, those two seem to have the most trouble getting along. Then Father came over to settle the argument. He told Kristie and I to go and help Anamaria with little Jonathan. I wish I knew what the quarrel was about, but the only things I managed to hear before being whisked away were something to do with being marooned, a signal fire, and missing rum. I was disappointed to find that I was unable to hear anything else from Jack and Anamaria's cabin._

_Below decks I very nearly directed an angry outburst at Anamaria about my mother's strange condition, but stopped myself. After all, I told myself, we are all on the same rather cramped boat (Oh, goodness. I hope Uncle Jack does not read what I just wrote about his precious Pearl. I apologize. I correct myself, it is a ship, not a boat.) and I do not wish to be on bad terms with anyone, especially those who I am in such close proximity to for extended periods of time._

_Speaking of which, I learned this morning that we should reach the Cayman Islands within a week! I have never been there, but I am told it is a lovely place. Mother and Father went there about six months ago. I remained with the Sparrow family for three full weeks while they took a short vacation. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay with Kristie. I learned that her father snores. Although he adamantly denied ever having made a sound while asleep, the sound his snoring is similar to that of a boulder being dragged across a cobblestone street. Fortunately, I was placed at the opposite end of the hallway from his and Anamaria's room. __I slept in Kristie's room; we took turns sleeping on the creaky old cot Uncle Jack dug out to accommodate a fourth child._

_Father is calling me. Today he has promised to give me another sailing lesson!_

_Always,_

_Sarah Turner _

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><p>Later that afternoon, Sarah hauled Kristie up to their favorite hiding place, the crow's nest to discuss the problem.<p>

"Have you noticed anything wrong with my Mum?" she began. When her friend started to speak, she held up a hand to silence her. "I wasn't finished. As I was saying, she has been ill for several days now, and no one will talk about it, not even her! The only crew members who have spoken of this are Pintel and Ragetti, and as we both know, they are... they can be... Oh, you know-"

"Stupid?" Kristie offered.

"Well, yes." Sarah hadn't intended to be so blunt, but she had to admit Kristie was right. Sighing, she seated herself beside her friend. "I'm just so worried about her," she confided. "What if whatever this is kills her and it's all our fault for not doing anything? Or worse, what if people have noticed and are intentionally ignoring her rapidly declining health and-"

"Hold it! Hold it." Kristie raised both hands now, looking half annoyed, half amused. "Keep 'at up and yer just gonna make this whole thing worse. There's gotta be a logical explanation, savvy?" Like her father before her, that word was one of her favorites.

Sarah sighed and reluctantly agreed. "Savvy."

Kristie moved around so she was facing Sarah. "An' I 'spect I know what it is."

Sarah sat up straighter, giving the other girl her full attention. She trusted that her friend would be more likely to understand a situation like this. Elizabeth had been somewhat overprotective of her only child. Kristianna, on the other hand, had been exposed to the ways of a pirate from a young age. Sailing on the Pearl with Captain Jack Sparrow, she had not exactly led a sheltered life. Therefore, Sarah often turned to her when something arose which she did not understand.

When he came aboard the Black Pearl the year before, Will had commented more than once on the remarkable resemblance between Jack and Kristianna, and indeed, Kristie was without a doubt her father's daughter. Whenever she had a choice in the matter, her long black locks were tied back by her trademark blue bandanna, and she had seriously considered cutting her hair short. She hated dresses with a passion, and was never content to sit still. Her bright black eyes usually had a mischievous gleam in them, suggesting that some elaborate plan was formulating in the enigma that was her mind.

Now those eyes danced with self-satisfaction as she told Sarah her suspicions. "I'd be willin' ta bet that ye got a brand-new sibling on the way."

"What?" Sarah's mind reeled. Everything she had noticed when Anamaria was pregnant with Jonathan came flooding back to her. Memories of the morning sickness, the aches and pains, and the odd behavior filled her mind. "Oh, my Lord."

"Kristianna Jacquelyn Sparrow! Come here this instant!" The shouts of an angry Anamaria Sparrow shattered Sarah's dazed silence and brought her back to reality. She heaved an exasperated sigh and looked pointedly at her friend.

"Kristie, what have you done this time?"

"Um..."

"Do I even dare to ask?" Although she intended to sound angry, she could not hide her amusement from the younger girl.

Kristie sported her signature lopsided grin.

"Prob'ly not."

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><p><em>Monday, the 23rd of September<em>

_Dear Diary,_

_Yesterday I dragged Kristie up to the crow's nest and __asked her what she thought was wrong with my mother, and I must admit I was not expecting the response I got. She suspects that I shall soon have a younger sibling! At first I was quite taken aback. Now that I think about it, however, I am surprised I did not make that assumption myself. While Anamaria was pregnant with Jonathan, she, Uncle Jack, and Kristie were visiting with Mum and I, and I recall that she acted very similarly to the way Mum has been acting as of late. _

_I shudder when I remember that time. Never before or since have I seen Kristie so very frightened. We were all hiding from the East India Trading Company at the time, and we decided that our small cottage on the outskirts of Port Royal was the best place we could run to. It was such a terrible time to bring a child into the world! Seeing as there were only two occupants at the time, our house was very small. It was rather uncomfortable having to cram three more people into the already snug space, but it was well worth it. Who knows what may have become of us?_

_During those weeks, Kristie and I slept on makeshift beds in Mum's room. Due to her condition, Anamaria was given my room while Uncle Jack and Robert slept on cots in the parlor. Looking back, I see very little purpose to all of this, for on most nights, neither Kristie nor I could sleep. I knew Mum was troubled as well, for every once in a while I would hear her crying softly late at night._

_I have been very fortunate for the majority of my childhood thus far; events such as these are rare. I suppose it is a bit selfish of me to complain, especially considering what some of our friends have gone through, but the very thought of having to go through something like that again makes me shudder._

_I do not wish to write any more on this subject right now._

_Always, _

_Sarah Turner_

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><p>Later that day, the youngest Turner decided she would set things straight once and for all. In her mind's eye, she pictured herself marching boldly up to her mother and demanding to know what was behind the uncharacteristic behavior she'd witnessed recently. She would carry herself with confidence befitting of the young lady she was becoming. Unfortunately for her, things did not go quite as she had planned.<p>

First of all, she could not locate Elizabeth. She searched above and below decks, from bow to stern, but to no avail. She checked the galley. She knocked at her parents' cabin door, and when she received no reply, she even went so far as to listen at the keyhole. She tried opening the door, only to find it securely bolted. Exasperated, she glanced about to ascertain that there was no one watching, then dropped to her knees before the heavy wooden door. She slowly leaned forward, pressing her ear to the worn floorboards to peer into the room.

The cabin was dark. This confused Sarah. Why on earth would her parents block the light out of an unoccupied room? Shifting her position on the floor, she attempted to get a better view of the room. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, She could make out a woman's figure underneath the blankets. Her jaw dropped. Her mother never took naps, even as a young child. She was constantly active in some way. Even when writing letters or sewing, she would continually shuffle her feet, unable to sit still. If she was weary enough to succumb to sleep at this hour, surely she was not quite herself. With each passing moment, she was more inclined to agree with Kristie's suspicions.

"Uh- Well, hello there, Sarah." Sarah jumped at the sound of a voice behind her. "Might I ask what you're doing on the ground with your nose under the door?" She scrambled to her feet, brushing off her clothes as best she could and attempting to make her unruly dark curls appear tidier. Blushing, she lifted her gaze to meet her father's dark eyes. Although she was quite embarrassed, she was relieved to note the amused twinkle in his eyes and the hint of a smile that he was trying to hold back.

"Um.." She struggled to find the right words. Will raised an eyebrow, pressing for an answer.

"You can tell me." His words and the smile that came with them greatly reassured Sarah. Surely he would understand her predicament.

"Well," she began timidly. "I've noticed that Mum hasn't been acting- well, like Mum." She faltered at his inquiring expression. "She never takes naps, and yet she's fast asleep at half past noon. In all my life, I have never seen her seasick, yet she's been queasy more than once in the last week." Her father conceded that this was true. Finally, she blurted out, "Kristie thinks she's going to have a baby."

Her father looked somewhat startled when she said this, but quickly recovered. "Would that upset you?" He asked tentatively.

"No, no! Of course not!" He examined her face, searching for any sign that she was lying. When he was sufficiently convinced of her sincerity, he smiled. "Well, that's good." Then his smile faded slightly. He felt somewhat guilty about sharing the news with their daughter when his wife was not present, but Sarah deserved to know. "Please, Father, I need to know."

Looking off into space, he smiled thoughtfully. At length, he quietly spoke. "Kristie is correct."

Before his daughter could respond, Mr. Gibbs hurried into the corridor, calling for Will. He opened his mouth to speak, but hesitated when he noticed Sarah's slightly disheveled appearance. "Are ye alright?" he asked her.

"I'm quite well, thank you. And you?" He nodded. After all these years, he still considered it bad luck to have a female on board.

Satisfied with her response, he turned to Will. "Jack sent me ta tell ye that thar be a storm brewin'."

Turner nodded slowly. In his years as captain of the Dutchman, he had dealt with more storms than he could count, and there were very few that caused him to worry. "Does it look like a bad one?"

"Aye, if ye ask me. Jack says it be too early to tell, but mark my words, this is no mere rain shower."

"Thank you, Mr. Gibbs." With one last befuddled glance at Sarah, the older pirate made his way out, shaking his head.

Turning back to Sarah, Will suggested that she fetch Kristie and that they retreat to the cabin they shared. Although reluctant to miss out on the action, she decided it best to obey her father. After all, he had weathered many, many more storms than she, and knew nearly all there was to know on the subject. Who was she to question his judgement? Nodding in agreement, she scurried off to find her friend, who was no doubt up to some sort of mischief.

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><p>William Turner watched his daughter hurry on her way to fetch Kristie, and his heart swelled with fatherly pride. He thought to himself for what must have been the thousandth time of how very blessed he was that he was able to be with his family. How he wished he would have been here to watch her grow up! By the time he returned and the curse was broken, Sarah Turner was well on her way to being a young lady. He sighed heavily. He would simply have to embrace that which he was given.<p>

As the sound of her footsteps began to fade, he turned and grasped the door handle. He opened it slowly, pressing upwards on the door as he pushed it forwards in order to minimize the creaking noises. He stepped into the room, shutting the door behind him. Walking silently across the floor, he gazed adoringly down at Elizabeth. He contemplated whether he ought to wake her or leave her in peace. He felt he should tell her that Sarah knew there was a new Turner on the way, as well as of the storm looming above them. But when he looked at her sleeping face, with a blissful expression adorning her angelic features, he could not bring himself to stir her from her slumber. Instead, he leaned down and tenderly pressed his lips to her forehead, closing his eyes for a moment before pulling back to gently trace the contours of her face with his calloused fingers.

Though he would have loved to watch her sleep for much, much longer, he knew he was needed on deck. He managed to remove his hand from her face, and he left the room as silently as he had come. Once the door was closed behind him, he headed for the deck to face the storm.

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><p>AN: And chapter two is DONE! Woohoo! Thanks a million to Williz, my amazingly awesome beta-reader! Thanks for all the reviews too. I absolutely love getting comments. (Hint to any non-reviewing readers... heh...)


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Once upon a time, there was a land brimming with brilliant people. This land was called Disney, and people adored even the ears on the mice who lived therein. These people made the world a better place through their tales of pirates and good men, of blacksmiths and forbidden loves, of heroic adventures, of skeleton pirates, of the Land of the Dead. Nearby there lived a mere peasant named inkyfingers999 who dwelt within the humble village of Fanfiction and loved these stories very much. She wrote her own tales of the heroes and villains created by Disney, and wished with all her heart that they might one day be hers. Tragically, they refused to grant her wish, and, heartbroken though she was, she continued to write stories in hopes that she might one day own the Pirates of the Caribbean. The end. (Moral of this story: I don't own Pirates)

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><p><em>Later<br>_

_Dear Diary,_

_As I write this, I am sitting on the lower bunk in the cabin Kristie and I share. She is on her own bunk above me, sulking. She was more than a bit miffed to be left out of the action. To be quite honest, I was rather upset as well. I have yet to see a storm from the deck, for Mother always insists I stay below where it is safer. We would not be nearly as glum had Robert not been allowed on deck. What makes him any different than us? He may be a boy, but he is still merely a child of ten. Why should we be considered more fragile simply because we are girls? My own mother is a Pirate King! Surely a woman can be just as tough as a man._

_However, I must admit that, at least from here, it does not sound like I would want to be out in this weather. Every minute or so a deafening roll of thunder rumbles into our room. Poor Jonathan is so very frightened. Even now he is curled up on Kristie's pillow, shivering. His eyes are red from crying. It truly is a sad sight. Meanwhile, Kristie is sprawled out on the floor, poring over her map. She has a rather unusual hobby- she enjoys planning out voyages she intends to embark on someday. It is her dream to become captain of her own ship, and I believe she would be a wonderful leader, albeit a bit reckless. Then again, if she were not so impulsive, she would not be the Kristianna we all know and love._

_The ship is rocking quite a bit, and my ink threatens to spill over the paper. I shall write more soon._

_Always,_

_Sarah Turner_

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><p>Meanwhile on deck, the crew struggled to keep the Pearl afloat. Rain poured down in blinding torrents, making it difficult to see more than a few feet in front of oneself. To even approach being able to steer took all the strength Will and Jack could muster. A distinct ripping sound was heard from far above their heads, and Jack cursed under his breath. "Oy! William, ye were s'posed ta fix tha' sail!" he yelled over the crashing of the waves.<p>

"I did! Otherwise, how'd it have ripped?"

"Well, then ye didn't do it right!"

"And what would you suggest I do about it?"

"Go an' fix it again!"

Will stared at him incredulously. Did this man honestly want him to climb the rigging armed with needle and thread to stitch up the sail in this horrid weather?

"No! Not in this storm," he declared.

"If ye don't, we'll lose the sail," the captain shot back.

"If one o' ye won't go, I will!" Anamaria, who had been securely fastening supplies to the ship, cut in.

The two men looked at her, then back to each other, and without a word, the decision was made.

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><p>Elizabeth was jolted out of her sleep by a peal of thunder. She knew naught what time it was, nor how long the storm had been raging. Frantically, she leaped from between the covers, snatching up her deck clothes and hurriedly throwing them on. Obviously Will had left her to sleep in hopes that she would not awaken in time to help out. However, she knew the <em>Pearl<em> had a relatively small crew; surely she would be needed on deck. While running down the corridor, she was relieved to see a gentle light emanating from beneath Sarah's cabin door. At least the girls weren't out in the rain.

When she opened the hatch, she was greeted by a blast of icy rain, soaking her clothes and shocking her senses. Setting her jaw, she climbed up onto the deck, securely closing the door behind her. She looked all around, surveying the scene. Robert was busily fastening a barrel to the ship. Anamaria and Will fought to steer the vessel through the towering waves. Jack clung to the rigging high above her, repairing a torn sail. The rest of the crew were hard at work, and she felt terrible that she had not come to assist them sooner. Now, where was she needed? She scanned the deck in search of a job to do. Her gaze came to rest on a tie that had come loose. Determinedly she made her way over to the offending rope, retying it tightly. When the task was completed, she looked around for another. Her eyes wandered from Robert, who was now helping Mr. Gibbs nearby, to Will and Ana at the wheel, to Jack, still tangled in the ropes and fumbling with the uncooperative black fabric.

Seeing what a struggle steering was, Elizabeth headed over towards the wheel, fighting to remain upright in the howling wind. Her sleep-addled mind failed to process much more than _"Bad storm. Must help. Slept too long. Lazy self. Bad storm. Must help. Slept too long. Lazy self," _and so on. When, after what seemed like hours, she arrived at the wheel, her hands automatically grasped it, holding on for dear life.

"Pull her starboard!" Will hollered through the chaotic noise, glancing over at his two helpers. It took him a moment to realize that something was wrong. _"Two helpers?"_ he thought, confused. Pausing briefly to look past Anamaria, he was amazed to find his wife there, assisting them in their near-futile attempt to maintain some semblance of control over the ship. "Elizabeth?" he called out, confused.

Knowing he had believed her to be fast asleep, but still slightly upset that he treated her with such caution, she replied nonchalantly, "Why didn't you wake me?" His jaw dropped. Surely she didn't believe he expected her to weather such a ferocious storm while two months pregnant! He opened his mouth to protest, but his words were drowned out by yet another deafening crack of thunder. When he felt his words would be relatively audible once more, he turned back to Elizabeth. "You really needn't be out here," he began hesitantly, knowing she prided herself on being nearly strong and capable as he.

Just as he'd predicted, she shot him a warning look, preparing to scold him again on how just because she was pregnant, didn't mean she was helpless. If she was honest with herself, she rather enjoyed the special treatment she'd been receiving, and on occasion truly needed to refrain from heavy work as he and Ana had suggested. However, she was not about to admit that to them.

Suddenly, the intensity of the downpour dropped to not even half as bad as it had been moments before. Surprised, but nonetheless relieved, the crew turned to stare upwards, almost as one unit. The stinging, icy wind and the freezing cold rain had dwindled to near nothing. Within a few short minutes, the sun had begun to peek around the dark clouds as they moved ever so slowly away.

Clambering down from his perch on the ropes above, Jack ambled clumsily over to where the trio stood. "Well, tha's that," he drawled. "Quite the view from the riggin', ye know," he continued, looking pointedly at Will. "Now, where's me hat? An' me rum?" the eccentric captain's voice trailed off as he made his way across the deck away from them. Ana rolled her eyes and shook her head, with just a hint of a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

Turning back to Elizabeth, Will brushed away a strand of hair that clung to her face. "What drove you to come on deck? I thought you were sleeping," he said gently.

"I was," she admitted, and he sensed a twinge of guilt in the way she spoke, her gaze shifting to the floor to her left. He regarded her with confusion.

"And why would that be a bad thing?"

"You needed help on deck," she answered, as though this were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Perhaps," he conceded reluctantly. However, he was quick to add, "But not so badly that you needed to come out into such weather when you're sick."

Shaking her head at him affectionately, she reached up to touch his cheek. "I appreciate that," she said. "But I'm not sick right now. On the contrary, I'm feeling quite good."

"I'm glad to hear it," he replied, grinning. Elizabeth had always had a contagious love for life, and had never been one to allow illness to get her down. She had been that way since their days of playing together on the beach as children, and today was no different. In fact, she seemed almost to glow with energy. Who was he to hold her back?

Sensing his thoughts, Elizabeth beamed up at him. Will just stared back at her, oblivious to anything else. Even in her wrinkled deckhand clothes, with tangles of blond hair matted to her face, she was breathtakingly beautiful. "Yes?" her voice startled him out of his reverie. Her light brown eyes danced with amusement. Still smiling, she reached up and took his face in her hands, bringing his face to hers for a kiss. Will contentedly wrapped his arms around her, all else forgotten.

"Do you mind?" The pair jumped, breaking apart and turning to find an exasperated Jack motioning for them to let him by. "Unless, that is, ye intend to steer the ship, and it seems it'd be a mite difficult in tha' position." Most days, Elizabeth would have made a witty comeback, but currently she was afraid that if she opened her mouth to speak, she would burst into a fit of laughter. So instead, she bit her lip to hold back a giggle, pulling Will away and allowing Jack to take over at the wheel. As they made their leave, he was heard murmuring to himself about really bad eggs, causing the pair to smile at the older pirate's antics.

* * *

><p><em>Tuesday, the 24th of September<em>

_Dear Diary,_

_The weather this morning is lovely, and the only evidence of yesterday's storm is the dampness in the wood of the deck. It seems almost like a dream, for the storm was so very terrible- there were times when I thought the ship might be torn to shreds! I do not know how long the ordeal lasted, but I am certain it was several hours. Shortly after I stopped writing, Mr. Gibbs came to tell us we must blow out the candle. After grumbling a bit about not being allowed to study her map, Kristie somehow fell asleep. I suppose I must have dozed off once or twice, but whatever sleep I managed to get was fitful to say the least. But none of that matters now. The storm has passed, and all is well once more._

_Even the conflict between Mum and Uncle Jack has been resolved. The missing bottle of rum was discovered beneath Uncle Jack's beloved hat, and he (somewhat reluctantly) apologized to Mum for his suspicions. However, while helping prepare the Pearl for the storm, I did notice that she considerably loosened the knots on the barrel of the drink in the corner of the deck when she thought no one was watching. I wonder if it was washed away in the rain._

_I personally find the thought of consuming something harmful to one's health to be foolish. This is yet another topic on which Kristie and I disagree, as she thinks it is an exciting idea. She claims to have tasted it once before, but I am not sure I believe her. Mum has often told me not to trust everything she says, and I admit I can see why. She also says she has met Blackbeard before!_

_The only bad news I've heard is that some vital supplies were ruined, and we will need to stop in Tortuga and purchase more. I shudder at the thought. I have heard many stories about the crime and immorality there. Yet, somehow, the idea of seeing this place excites me. If I am truly honest with myself, I am curious to know what it is like. Heavens, what my parents might say if they knew what thoughts enter my mind sometimes. Curiosity can be wonderful, but it can also be dangerous, my mother often says. _

_ I will write more soon._

_Always,_

_Sarah Turner_

* * *

><p>She tucked the diary under her arm, being careful not to drop it as she clambered out of the crow's nest and began inching her way down the rigging. When she reached the relatively stable deck, she found Kristie waiting for her.<p>

"Did ye hear the news?" she asked, excitement evident in her dark eyes.

"About stopping in Tortuga?"

Kristie nodded happily. "You seem excited," the older girl remarked, beginning to walk towards the hatch.

"Of course I'm excited!" her friend exclaimed. "What's not to be excited 'bout? The place's got adventure written all o'er it!"

"Adventure, yes," Sarah admitted, then sighed. "But also danger."

"Tha's the fun part!" Sarah smiled softly to herself, opening the hatch. Although she did not necessarily agree with her friend's idea of fun, Kristie's exuberance was contagious. She followed Sarah down the cramped corridor towards their cabin, chattering on about their destination. "Imagine- seein' dangerous crimes from just a few feet away, tanglin' with unsavory characters..."

While her friend rambled on, Sarah could only hope that Kristie's curiosity would not get them into too much trouble in Tortuga.

* * *

><p>AN: You like? :) I wasn't sure I liked this chapter, so I really need to know what you think. You know what to do, me'hearties. See that handy-dandy lil' button that says "Review this Chapter"? Yeah, that. Click it. :)

Thanks again to my beta Williz and all my awesome readers/reviewers! You guys rock my socks! Wait... I'm not wearing socks. You guys rock my feet!... (crickets chirp) uh, nevermind.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Smithy- Thanks for the idea, but I can't do that... I don't think my mom would like that very much. lol. Maybe when I get older I can, though. :)

Disclaimer: Don't own the characters, sorry. I can only borrow them, sadly. Only Kristie, Robert, Jonathan, Sarah and any others you don't recognize belong to me. But those ones are MINE! So stay away from 'em, ye scallywags! (beats scallywags off with stick)

* * *

><p><em>Friday, September 27th<br>_

_Dear Diary,_

_It is late, so I don't have much time to write. From the crow's nest, I can just barely see the shore of Tortuga in the distance. When I look over and see this place, my stomach feels as though there are a hundred butterflies flitting about in it. Last night I had a terrible nightmare- a strange, obviously drunk man with a greasy-looking, scraggly beard and long, tangled grey hair tried to grab me. It sounded like he was saying something, but he was so full of rum that his words were no longer understandable. As he stumbled towards me, I felt sick to my stomach. I tried to scream for Mum and Father, but my voice betrayed me and I only managed a pitiful squeak. I lifted a mug from a nearby table and was about to hit him with it, when I was awakened. Never before have I been thankful for Kristie's snoring, which brought me out of that dream, much to my relief. I was terrified- it all seemed so real! (Although I must admit, I was the slightest bit disappointed that I didn't get to hit that awful man with the mug.) Common sense tells me that such a thing is highly unlikely, that I shall constantly be with my parents. But still I am jittery about this trip._

_Nightmares aside, this trip has been quite pleasant thus far. I apologize that I have not written for a few days. I simply could think of nothing to tell you of. Everything is going well, other than the extensive damage done to the starboard side of the ship. I had not a single interesting thing to write _

_Uncle Jack told me we should arrive in Tortuga at around dawn tomorrow. I do not know whether to be thrilled or to cringe at the thought. I suppose I shall find out tomorrow._

_Always,_

_Sarah Turner_

* * *

><p>The next morning, Kristie was awake and alert before the sun's rays had even begun to climb over the horizon. Try as she might, she was unable to conceal her anticipation. Danger and risk thrilled her, and Tortuga promised plenty of that. The previous night, before scrambling up the rickety ladder to her bunk, she had laid out her favorite shirt, a tomboyish style in a plain brown that was the slightest bit big on her, next to a pair of old trousers. Alongside these she placed her beloved black pirate boots and her sword, which she had crafted herself with some help from Sarah's father. Finally, she laid her beloved bandanna out, ready for use.<p>

She had hardly been able to sleep that night, her brain was so full of exciting thoughts. While she lay awake, staring at the ceiling, she could hear Sarah tossing and turning in the bunk below her, though she guessed her friend's insomnia was for far different reasons than her own. Sarah tended to be quiet and reserved, taking in every minute detail from the sidelines. While there was no doubt in Kristie's mind that the youngest Turner was just as brave and tough as her parents, she also knew that she hated to endanger anyone. True, Kristie's fiery ways and outspoken manner often got them into trouble, and without Sarah's calm, observant demeanor to keep her own temper in check, she would probably be in terrible shape. But still, even after being as close as sisters all their lives, Kristie failed to understand her friend's lack of enthusiasm for their upcoming adventure.

Now, as she almost fiercely knotted her hair back with the blue bandanna, she glanced over to find her friend still buried in the blankets, the pillow over her head as always. Why was she still asleep at this hour? Surely it must be 6:00 by now! Shaking the lump she assumed to be her shoulders, first gently, then more vigorously, she whispered urgently, "Sarah! Wake up!"

Sarah uttered something along the lines of "Mmph uggghh uh," before rolling over and burying her face deeper in the mattress. Frustrated, Kristie shook her again, harder this time, and spoke aloud.

"We're almost there! Please get up." Her voice was almost pleading.

With a groan, Sarah extracted her head from beneath the pillow and disentangled herself from within her blankets. Sleepily rubbing her half-closed eyes, she asked, "What is it?"

"We drop the anchor in a few minutes!"

When it dawned on the older girl just what was going on, she sat bolt upright, all traces of grogginess having vanished from her face, and sprang to action. She clumsily tried to grab her clothes while diving behind the changing screen, not wanting to be still abed when the _Pearl_ docked in Tortuga. Hurriedly throwing on a plain white tunic and brown trousers, she snatched up the worn canvas bag containing her diary and slung it over her shoulder. As the girls made their way down the creaky wooden floors of the damp corridor, she ran her fingers through her hair in an unsuccessful attempt to comb it out.

As the pair poked their heads out the hatch and scrambled up onto the deck, the morning's first light was just spilling over the silvery waves. Before their eyes lay Tortuga, and it was everything they had imagined- loud, dirty, chaotic, and simply reeking of danger, as well as rum. Sarah recoiled slightly at the sight. Kristie leaned eagerly over the railing, curious anticipation apparent on her features.

"Well, there ye 'ave it," Jack said gallantly, waving an arm clumsily in the direction of their destination. "Ole' Tortuga, in all 'er splendor." Elizabeth rolled her eyes. Sarah bit her lip somewhat anxiously. Will glanced at the older pirate, amused at his fondness for the filthy place. Kristie grinned smugly, thrilled at the prospect of seeing what she had so far only heard stories of. Anamaria hardly even took the time to look up, for she was trying to pry Jonathan's wooden toy sword from the toddler's surprisingly firm grip. Robert smiled softly, but the reason for the smile was anyone's guess, such a quiet character was he. They prepared to go ashore.

* * *

><p>"But, Mom!"<p>

"You 'eard me! You are not goin' ashore, it's too dangerous! Robert 'ain't even comin'."

"But why not?"

"Kristie, yer only ten, 'n that's a mite young for the streets of Tortuga."

"Almost eleven. Anyways, you grew up there, an' nothin' bad came o' it!"

"Kristianna Sparrow, yer stayin' on the ship. Subject closed." To accentuate her point, waved her hand like a director silencing his orchestra. Kristie opened her mouth to protest, but remained silent at her mother's warning look.

Sarah stood meekly off to the side, feeling a bit awkward witnessing an argument between mother and daughter. Although she too was disappointed, she knew it was improper to argue with the adults. Unless, that is, it was Jack and he had imbibed too much rum recently. In that case, her parents agreed it was perfectly all right to ignore him.

From her place off to the side, she tentatively spoke up. "Kristie, perhaps your mother is right. Besides, someone must watch Jonathan." The other girl glared at her.

"What about Pintel and Ragetti? They've taken care of him before," she pointed out, hoping to change their minds, but they all knew it was a weak argument. Heaving an overly dramatic sigh and rolling her eyes, she finally conceded. "Fine," she muttered.

"That's my girl." Ana nodded in approval. "Trust me, ye won't be missin' out on much." Kristie glanced at her skeptically. "An' besides, ye'll be old enough 'fore ye know it. Enjoy yer childhood while ye still got it," her mother advised.

Pursing her lips and shifting her gaze towards the sea, Kristie asked, "How long will ye be gone?"

"We gotta fetch some new supplies, an' we gotta find us a couple more deckhands- two made a run fer it when we pulled in just now, n' Flanders is sick n' goin ashore," Ana looked thoughtful for a moment, as though calculating in her mind the time all this would take. "That'll prob'ly take about five, six hours. Once all that's done, we gotta drag yer Papa an' Gibbs away from their rum, which'll prob'ly take about half an hour. So, no more 'n six n' a half, seven hours."

"Savvy," Kristie replied. Sarah glanced suspiciously over at her friend. Seven hours was a long time, especially for one so active as Kristianna Sparrow. For her to agree to this so willingly without first concocting some mischievous plan was highly unlikely. She wondered just what might be brewing in that unruly mind.

She was to discover this sooner rather than later, for the moment she decided the adults could no longer hear her, she shifted Jonathan to rest against her left hip, then turned to Sarah, her eyes dancing with excitement. "Get whatever ye need ta bring. I'll git Robert."

"What?" Sarah was taken aback. "What for?"

"Why, ta go ashore, wot else?" Kristie replied over her shoulder. By now she was already striding towards the hatch; Sarah still stood at the rail as though in a daze. When she heard the distinctive creaking of the hatch opening, she snapped back to attention.

"You know we can't do that!" she exclaimed. Yet she was excited by the thought, and impulsively followed her friend down to the corridor below. After all, she had to convince Kristie not to follow through on this, right?

Catching up with the younger girl, she tapped her shoulder. "Wot?" she asked, turning to face Sarah.

"What about Jonathan? We can't simply leave him unattended," she pointed out. Kristie glanced down at the child she still held, then to Sarah, then back again, with a thoughtful expression on her face.

"Looks like the kid's gotta come wit' us," she decided, turning away and reaching for a canteen and bag of biscuits slung over the bedpost. Sarah had not noticed these supplies hanging there before now, and paused briefly, vaguely curious as to why they were there. In all likelihood Kristie had placed them there so they would be readily accessible in just such a situation as this. Mistaking Sarah's pause for agreement, she turned back and said, "Savvy?" It was spoken more as an order than as a question, leaving very little room for argument.

Curiosity and common sense dueled for control in Sarah's mind. While she knew it was wiser to remain on board the _Pearl_, when would she have another opportunity such as this? If she failed to seize this chance, there was a possibility that she would never see Tortuga. This thought was her undoing, and before her mind had a chance to react, the response escaped from her lips. "Savvy."

* * *

><p>"This was a bad idea," Sarah muttered as she and Robert, who was dutifully carrying little Jonathan, traipsed along behind Kristie. They had been exploring the streets of Tortuga for about half an hour now. No longer was Sarah intrigued by the chaotic place. No, she had had her fill of this disgusting place within about five minutes of taking her first steps therein. The crowded, noisy taverns, the drunkards roaming the streets in a daze, and the thick, revolting stench of rum and unwashed bodies wreaked havoc on her senses and made her feel like vomiting. Surely this was a terrible place for one so young as Jonny! She had continuously berated herself for agreeing to Kristie's plan, who, on the other hand, insisted that they continue their adventure<p>

Sarah's nose crinkled up in utter disdain as she glanced down to find some unidentifiable brown muck caked onto her left boot. She knew naught what it was, and had no desire to learn. "I'm hungry," she piped up, in hopes of distracting Kristie from her unquenchable curiosity about this place.

"Me too," Robert murmured.

"Well, wot are ye gonna do if ye get hungry later if ye eat up all the food now?" Kristie reasoned, turning to face her grumbling companions.

"Later?" Sarah asked incredulously. "Just how long do you intend to wander out here?" She shrugged nonchalantly.

"Don' know. 'Nother couple hours maybe?" In response, Robert raised his eyebrows. It was clear that he had no intention of remaining here much longer. Sarah looked back and forth between the two and shook her head. She had never imagined twins could be as different as these two were.

"I say we turn around and go back to the ship this moment," Sarah announced, planting her feet firmly on the cobblestones and putting her hands on her hips.

"I'm wit' Sarah," Robert spoke up. "Not tha' this ain't fun, but I think it's best we head for the Pearl."

"Wot, are ye scared?" Kristie asked in mock sympathy.

"No, of course not," the other girl retorted indignantly. "But Kristie, be honest with yourself. Is this the best place for your little brother to be exposed to?"

"I was four when Papa firs' lemme see Singapore, 'e'll be jus' fine."

"Kristianna Jacquelyn Sparrow, you can't simply ignore us! Three of the four of us wish to return to the ship, meaning only one prefers to continue exploring. It seems quite obvious what we ought to do." Sarah was growing angry now.

"'Tisn't as if I forced ye to come along," the younger girl shot back. "Ye agreed ta come!"

"Well, if you won't come with us now, you shan't have any companions for the rest of your little expedition, for I intend to go back whether you are with me or not." Sarah did not honestly intend to leave her friend, but she assumed her words would convince her of the foolishness of her plan. Sure enough, at Sarah's declaration, Kristie's fiery temper cooled off the slightest bit. As much interest as she harbored for this rowdy little seaport, the thought of braving it alone caused even her to think twice about venturing further. Even in the short time they had been there, they had seen seven fistfights and two deaths, been threatened by drunkards twice, and had seen only one other child younger than thirteen or fourteen.

At length, she relented. "Savvy." Her voice betrayed the slight sting of loss she felt in leaving so soon, but somewhere in her reckless heart she knew it was best that they leave. She wouldn't want to lose her parents' trust. After all, their confidence was incredibly valuable when it came to negotiations and haggling her way into things- like trips to Singapore, her favorite destination.

"Well, then, let's go, shall we?" Sarah said cheerily, eager to leave Tortuga and it's foul stench as soon as possible. Kristie nodded, and dismally turned to head for the ship. She and Sarah abruptly halted when they heard a muffled sound from Robert which was somewhere between a yelp and a gasp. The girls spun on their heels, half expecting him to be in the iron grip of a drunken sailor. Rather, they found him simply staring at the top of a simple wooden barrel on the side of the street, his face blanched and his jaw hanging slack.

With a slowness that rivaled that of a snail, he turned to them, mixed terror and guilt plastered across his paled face. "What- what's wrong?" Sarah inquired hesitantly, not truly wishing to know the answer.

His voice trembling, he managed to utter three words that would be the start of a great adventure. "Jonathan is gone."

* * *

><p>AN: Dun-dun-dun-DUUUUNNN... Whaddya think? Let me know! :D

I'm having WAY too much fun with Sarah and Kristie. It can't be healthy... But I gotta write more! Aaaahh :D Now, off I go to write chapter five! Alas, my children, this is the day you shall always remember as the day you almost- (trips and falls flat on face) Inkyfingers... 999... I shall be back! (pulls cape over shoulder and disappears using epic ninja skills)


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I own Pirates! ...In my dreams...

* * *

><p>"Jonathan!"<p>

"Jonny?"

"Jonathan Sparrow, where are you?" The trio was frantically seeking the the missing toddler, as they had been for the past two and a half hours. In their panic, they had started off by running about in a frenzy of terror, but after an hour or so, they had finally slowed down and taken the time to look carefully. They all knew that yelling for him would likely get them nowhere, but not one of them was willing to admit how hopeless their search was. They had been combing every street, every path, every alleyway for the boy, but to no avail. Sarah flopped down on the side of the road and let her head fall to her knees, hardly caring anymore how soiled her clothes became.

In an uncharacteristic display of sympathy and remorse, Kristie dropped to her knees beside her friend and gently laid a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry," she muttered. "This was all my fault."

"No, it was _my _fault. I never should have set him down," Robert said, his voice full of regret.

"Well, ye did make a mistake thar," Kristie replied, eager to take even the slightest bit of the blame off of her own shoulders. However, she realized that this whole adventure was originally her own doing. "But I was the one who dragged ye 'ere," she mumbled, still reluctant to admit her mistake.

"The blame goes to all of us," Sarah cut in, halting the argument that was simply waiting to happen. "Kristie shouldn't have suggested this, I shouldn't have agreed, Robert shouldn't have set Jonny down, and none of us should have even considered bringing him in the first place. But that doesn't matter right now." Finally, she lifted her head to look at the twins. Drawing a shaky breath and willing herself not to cry, she said, "All that matters now is finding Jonathan." She hesitated, reluctant to say that which must be said next. "We must tell our parents."

"Are ye crazy?" Kristie exploded. "We can't let 'em find out about this! If we go back now, we're as good as dead!"

"They'll be upset, that much is certain," the older girl observed. "But we deserve whatever punishment they might give us. We must accept the consequences of our actions."

Kristie rolled her eyes. Sometimes Sarah's quiet goodness irritated her. Granted, she had shown her more independent, adventurous side in agreeing to come here this morning. However, nearly any time she did something such as this, she ended up deeply upset with herself and her actions. Heavens, could the child not live with herself if she did just one naughty deed? How did she ever expect to be a proper pirate?

"The longer we search and do not find him, the less likely we are to find him at all," Sarah reasoned. "If we hadn't brought him to- to Tortuga-" she spat the word out as though it were poisoned- "he would still be safe and sound on the Pearl. He does not deserve to be endangered further simply because we won't swallow our pride and tell our parents."

Kristie bit her lip. Although she loathed to admit it, her friend had a point. "I don' get much choice in this matter with ye around, do I?" she muttered, her words more of a declaration than a question.

Sarah managed a ghost of a smile. "Not really." Taking a deep breath, she straightened herself out from where she sat crumpled on the ground, futilely attempting to brush the filth from her wrinkled garments and squaring her shoulders. Robert glanced halfheartedly into a nearby alleyway, still harboring a vague hope that they might locate the stray child, but found the area disappointingly empty, save for a mud-covered tabby cat strutting by. Kristie, too, scanned the street for the youngest Sparrow, but to no avail. She sighed. Though it pained her to admit it, Sarah's premonition had been correct. This was truly a foreboding place, even when it was only nine in the morning. Even Kristie shuddered to consider what it must be like when night fell.

"Well, then, wot are we waitin' for? Let's go," Kristie muttered. Even if she had intended to appear upbeat, her sagging shoulders made her true feelings apparent. To be honest, Sarah too felt queasy at the prospect of confessing to her parents about this journey. What might they think of her, their obedient, well-mannered daughter, when they learned of this rash exploit? She bit her lip, attempting to silence such dreary thoughts, but failing to quiet her anxious mind.

Suddenly, something occurred to her that certainly put a twist in their plan. Her head snapped up as the foreboding realization struck her. "Kristie," she began, her brow furrowing as she considered this new obstacle, "Our parents aren't on the Pearl. They shan't be back until past noon, remember?" At her friend's words, Kristie came to an abrupt halt. Of course. Anamaria had estimated their time in Tortuga today at roughly seven hours, had she not? They had scarcely been gone three as it was.

Rather than letting herself droop at the thought, Kristie stood taller. "Well, then, looks like we gotta find em," she stated boldly.

"Here? In Tortuga? 'Twould be like finding a needle in a haystack!" Sarah protested, dumbfounded.

Kristie spun around, haphazardly balanced on one heel, to face her companion. Leaning slightly to her left, she shrugged one shoulder and lifted her hands in front of her, flashing a sideways grin. "Hey," she replied easily. "I'm Kristianna Sparrow."

* * *

><p>Nearby, in Ole Finnegan's Tavern, Jack and a few crew members lounged about, tarrying over their rum. Some wandered aimlessly about the ramshackle building, a few sat at tables, others lounged about on whatever stationary object was most convenient. Captain Sparrow himself leaned lazily against the wall, bottle in hand. He had found replacements for those who had left the Pearl's crew, and as far as he was concerned, was done for the day. After being mercilessly berated by Ana about something to do with bargains and quality, he had given up helping with the purchasing of supplies.<p>

The door made a creaky groan as it swung open to let people in. Through the throngs of people and the dirty haze filling the room, probably aided by the alcohol coursing through the pirate's system, Jack could barely make out the newcomers' faces. From what he saw, they seemed far younger than the other customers here at Finnegan's. Wait- were they coming in his direction? It certainly seemed so. But what would they want with him? Ah, yes. They must just want to meet him, or perhaps they would request a signature. After all, he was Captain Jack Sparrow.

As they cautiously wove their way through the maze of people, he recognized the one closest to him as his daughter, then he spotted Sarah and Robert trailing close behind her.

It registered in his dazed mind that there was something amiss about Kristie's presence here in the tavern, but he couldn't quite recall what was it was. So he simply decided to forget the matter and greet the little munchkins.

"Krissie!" he slurred, stepping forwards with open arms but staggering slightly. The girl leaned in for a halfhearted embrace, but pulled back just a moment later.

"We- we need to talk to ye about somethin'," she started. "Uh..." Sarah nudged her from behind, urging her to spit out the words and get the ordeal over with, although she was not entirely sure her friend's father was sober enough to be of any help in their predicament. "I think Sarah's got somethin' to tell ye," Kristie finished.

Sarah bit her lip. She should have expected that. She shot a look at Kristie that clearly demonstrated her annoyance before turning to face Jack. It was clear from his jumbled speech and the fact that he was even clumsier than usual that he was too far gone to fully grasp the urgency of their situation, but she figured she might as well tell him anyways. Still, it was hard to admit. Taking a deep breath, she blurted out, "We came ashore after everyone was gone because we wanted to see Tortuga and now Jonathan is gone."

The dazed captain struggled to absorb this information, the fog in the room and in his mind clouding his ability to think clearly. Squeezing his eyes shut, he forced himself to think this over. They came ashore. Well, yes, that's how they got here. They wanted to see Tortuga. Well, who could blame 'em? After everyone was gone? Ah, yes, now he was able to faintly recall Ana ordering that they remain aboard the ship. How boring. Now, what was that last bit? He knew it was something about Jonathan. Jonathan was- what was the other word? Oh, gone. Yes, that was it.

Gone?

The word had dropped innocently into his head, then exploded like a cannon and shattered any sense of peace and contentment. Though he prided himself on remaining stoic, on rarely succumbing to emotion, he loved his children dearly and could not live with himself if he ever let anyone or anything harm them. Doing his level best to fight back the lingering effects of the alcohol he had recently imbibed, he ditched his bottle and, motioning for the children to follow his lead, hastened off to find his son.

* * *

><p><em>Saturday, September 28<em>

_Tortuga_

_Dear Diary,_

_It has been a long, trying day, and it is only midday. As I write this, I am sitting on the cold ground in an alleyway, writing by the light of a streetlamp. Kristie sits with her back to the wall, her legs drawn up to her chest and her forehead resting on her knees. Robert sits against the same wall a few feet away from his sister, writing something in a little book quite similar to my own. I never would have thought he kept a diary. I wonder what he might write in it?_

_I'm afraid I've drifted from what I meant to write about. You see, Mum and Father and Ana all told us to remain on the Pearl. They told us that this was no place for children. Now that I am here, I fully understand what they spoke of. I have seen things here that I am too disgusted by to even write of them here. However, I knew not what Tortuga held this morning, and was curious to see it. Apparently, so was Kristie. She convinced Robert and I to come ashore with her. After thirty minutes or so of exploring, we managed to get Kristie to head back to the ship. We were about to do just that, when Robert realized that Jonathan was no longer on the crate where he had set him down._

_We figured that a two-year-old could not have gotten very far, so we started searching for him. But after two and a half hours of combing the streets, we still could not find him. We found Uncle Jack and told him the whole story, but he was little help, as he had had a couple of bottles of rum already. As I write this, he is standing with his shoulder pressed to the wall, allegedly keeping a weather eye open for any sign of Jonathan, but I think he has dozed off. Soon, we will return to the ship to tell Mum and Father and Ana. I shudder to think what they might say. We directly and knowingly disobeyed them, then were irresponsible enough to lose track of a helpless toddler! I feel terrible- I never should have let Kristie convince me to come ashore with her. At first I was angry with Robert, but that passed quickly. Who could blame him for wishing to rest his arms for a moment? Jonathan must weigh thirty pounds or so. My anger quickly went to Kristie, for even suggesting this crazy adventure. Then I was angry with myself for agreeing to come. Oh, I don't know what to think._

_It is time to go back and face our parents. I shall write more soon._

_Always,_

_Sarah Turner_

* * *

><p>A few minutes later, the foursome boarded the <em>Pearl<em>, their hearts full of regret. While Jack settled down on a nearby stairwell to await the others' return, the three children stood anxiously at the railing of the ship, dreading the adults' arrival, yet wishing for the agony of waiting to end. Every few moments, they would exchange nervous looks, but not a word passed between the solemn trio.

After what seemed like hours, but in all likelihood was no more than a few minutes, Elizabeth and Will could be seen making their way, hand in hand, through the street towards the harbor, and Sarah gulped. Her parents were talking and laughing as they had not a care in the world. She hated herself for letting them down, for disobeying them, for being so foolhardy. She would almost definitely lose their trust, which was a precious gift that she should have clung to and guarded carefully. She heaved a sorrowful sigh, already feeling alone and unworthy. Just one moment of carelessness could bring about heavy consequences.

As they approached the ship docked at Tortuga's shore, Will wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulder and drew her closer to his side, allowing a contented sigh to escape as she slipped her own arm about his waist in response. It had been a productive day, even in this pigsty of a town. They had acquired three new crew members who appeared to be trustworthy, but seemed to be as mysterious and multifaceted as their shipmates, if not more so. Robin, who was yet a stranger to the sea, had agreed to work as a crew member in exchange for the older pirates' guidance as to the ways of a sailor. So far, Will had discovered that he had been born and raised here in Tortuga, had previously worked as a carpenter's apprentice, and was obsessed with horoscopes and astrology. Mack McCready, who they presumed to be in the neighborhood of about sixty years of age, kept a cloth tied about his head so as to cover his nose and mouth. Some said he had been in some unspeakably horrid accident, others believed that he had been born terribly disfigured, and still others imagined that he wished to conceal his identity due to a complication from his past. The third new crew member, Jacob, replaced Tim as youngest worker aboard the ship, as he was only seventeen years old. Will had observed him to be unusually shy, especially for a pirate. He usually kept his eyes fixed firmly on the ground before him, and wore a wide-brimmed hat that kept his face all but hidden from view. Will had a feeling this would be an interesting voyage.

With every step the couple took, the _Pearl_ became easier to see, and as their view grew clearer, he spotted something that caused him an instinctive uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. Sarah, Kristianna, and Robert stood together at the rail, gazing pensively in his direction. As far as he could tell, no conversation was taking place. For his daughter and her friends to be in such close proximity to each other and not say a word was something he had jokingly called an impossibility. Surely something was not as it should be. Apparently Elizabeth had noticed this peculiarity as well, for she paused briefly, craning her neck in an attempt to achieve a better view of the children. Thinking as with one mind, the two exchanged a look as if to say, "What now?"

Arriving upon the deck of the ship, the Turners were met by three remorseful-looking children, who acted thoroughly culpable, though Will and Elizabeth knew naught the reason for their guilt. Will hesitated slightly before breaking the silence. "What's wrong?" he inquired tentatively.

Sarah nudged Kristie, who shook her head vehemently and nudged her friend right back. Suddenly, Robert spoke up. "It was my fault," he declared, shame and regret apparent in his tone and across his features.

Thoroughly intrigued now, Elizabeth asked, "What are you talking about? What's your fault?"

Taking a deep breath, and knowing what must be done, Sarah poured out the whole story, from the adults' departure to finding Jack to combing the streets and alleyways of Tortuga.

By the time she had finished her account of the day's events, tears were spilling freely down her cheeks. Her parents had been taken aback when they first learned that she had agreed to go ashore against their wishes, but had taken the news admirably. They were devastated to learn of Jonathan's kidnapping, and determined that they must begin trying to retrieve him that very instant, and, exhausted though they were, both physically and emotionally, the three dutifully followed the adults back into the din of the town.

* * *

><p>"Mum, come here!" Sarah exclaimed, her tired voice laced with excitement. Moments earlier, while pacing nervously back and forth, Jack had subconsciously jammed his hands into the pockets of his coat. An instant later, however, he paused, and pulled a piece of paper from where his left hand had just been. The first thought to occur to Sarah was he possibility of it being a ransom note of some sort. She was an avid reader, and she knew that in all the best adventure novels, if someone was kidnapped, their abductor would leave a brief note for the victim's family or friends to find. Though the thought had briefly passed through her mind in their desperate search, she had not yet seriously considered that Jonathan may have been kidnapped. If such a thing were true, though, it was certainly a most dangerous crook they were dealing with. They had scarcely been two feet from the child at the time of his disappearance! And yet, if someone had managed to slip it into Captain Jack Sparrow's pocket without being noticed, it was certainly feasible.<p>

Sarah shook her head in an attempt to clear the cobwebs from her overworked mind. She and Kristie exchanged dubious glances, but nonetheless, Sarah took the paper from Jack's hand and carefully unfolded it.

When her gaze alighted on the parchment, Sarah's brow furrowed and she tilted her head to the side thoughtfully. Yes, it was very curious indeed. A note she could understand, but a map? She knew from her geography studies that it was a representation of the Caribbean, and she recognized Jamaica and knew where Port Royal was located. A large red "X" was marked off on a small cay near Isla de Muerta. Abruptly, her head snapped up from its sideways position to look at her mother, who had by now made her way over to where the girls stood and was anxious to see for herself what they had found. Holding up the map out to Elizabeth, with a hint of satisfaction in her voice, she asked, "What do you think of this?"

Elizabeth carefully examined the paper, then flipped it over to appraise any markings that might be found on the back. There was, in fact, a message hastily scrawled across the back of the page. It read, "Go here if you ever want to see your son again!" Will, who had sauntered over to see what was so fascinating to everyone, gently took the map in his own hands and turned it over to pore over the front of the parchment.

After a few moments of silence, Kristie piped up. "Well, we're obviously not gonna find 'im 'ere, then," she observed.

"I wonder if it's a trap," Robert mused. The children witnessed the two adults exchange a concerned look. Sarah said not a word, but decided she must somehow find passage to the little cay. She had to find Jonathan.

* * *

><p>That night on the ship, Sarah lay awake on her bed, staring at the bottom of Kristie's bunk above her. Though her energy had been completely spent, she simply could not relax and succumb to sleep. Through the wall, she could hear her parent's muffled voices in the other room. From what she could hear, they were discussing whether or not to sail to the cay, and even her father, who would typically pounce on any clue in a situation such as this, had a tendency to suggest that they not. She knew by the quiet tone the couple spoke in that she was not meant to hear this conversation, but she had to know more.<p>

Setting her jaw determinedly, she decided that first thing the next morning, she would do her very best to persuade the adults to sail towards the island indicated on the map. And if she had to find another way to get there, so be it. Having decided this, she rolled to her side and closed her eyes.

* * *

><p>(AN): Like it? No? Maybe? This one's a lot longer than the first four and it took me forever to write. So you'd better love it! Just kidding, be honest in your reviews. :)

Sorry it took me so long to post this, I was really busy this Christmas and didn't have much time to write, especially since my mom doesn't know I'm writing this (it's going to be a surprise when it's finished). So chapter six shouldn't take nearly as long to post as five did.

Hakuna Matata! :D

~inkyfingers999


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Me no own. You no sue. Savvy?

(A/N:) Here it is, everyone. Chapter six! Don't forget to review! :) Reading everyone's comments is one of the many reasons I love writing- I love to know what you guys think! Enjoy.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Sarah arose at the break of dawn, hurriedly throwing on her clothes and scurrying from her cabin to seek out her parents. Opening the hatch, she was met by a sudden gust of wind, awakening her senses and causing a smile to spread over her face. She had always loved cool weather, despite having grown up in the mild winters and sweltering summers of the Caribbean, and this sudden change in the weather delighted her. She scrambled to her feet and closed the hatch behind her, being careful not to let it slam as it shut. Glancing about the deck, she noted that there were very few crew members around. She supposed the others were below decks, still suffering from the tarrying effects of drunkenness. Her nose crinkled in disgust at the notion. Why someone would partake of such a beverage, knowing from experience that it would cause them to act like an absolute fool- not to mention the dreadful headache that would hang over them the next day- was beyond her. Banishing this unpleasant thought from her mind, she returned her focus to finding her parents.<p>

This task proved to be an easy one, as she momentarily spotted her father standing at the rail, his arms resting on the weathered wood, looking out at the ocean. As quietly as she could, she walked hesitantly towards him, then moved to stand beside him, her arms folded as his were. A small smile graced his features when he sensed her presence at his side. "Good morning, Sarah."

Forgoing such pleasantries, she spoke up hesitantly, "Father?"

Will turned to face his daughter. "Yes?" he replied.

"I- I'm really sorry about yesterday," she confessed, her face falling as she uttered the words, bringing back a flood of guilt.

Will saw a tear glistening at the corner of Sarah's eye, threatening to escape and slip down her cheek. He could not bear to see her cry, even if she had been somewhat reckless the previous day. Impulsively, he reached out and pulled her into a comforting embrace. Sarah rested her cheek against his shoulder, her sadness giving way to a feeling of warmth in her father's arms. "It's okay," he whispered. "We'll find him, I promise."

Pulling back, she replied simply, "Of course we will. We have to." She lifted her chin and squared her shoulders. "When do we start?"

Will smiled in return. "So much like your mother," he murmured to himself.

Hearing his words, although they were more to himself than to her, she raised her eyebrows as if to say, 'Is that so?' Grinning, she replied, "Perhaps, but Mum told me when she was kidnapped, you rushed off to find her, even resorting to working with Uncle Jack- and you hated pirates then."

Returning her smile, he conceded that this was true. For a time, father and daughter stood together at the bow of the ship, an amiable silence settling over them. After a few minutes, Will spoke once more. "You really are a lot like your mother," he mused. Sarah looked at him quizzically, and reading the question in her expression, he continued. "Wanting to see Tortuga, wanting to explore with Kristie- It reminds me so much of your mother when she was younger."

At this point, Sarah was thoroughly intrigued, and turned to face her father, listening intently for what he might say next. Knowing that she wished to hear more, he smiled. "As you know, your mother and I have known each other since we were twelve-"

"-And she fished you out of the water." Sarah finished his sentence for him with a grin.

"Exactly. You see, when we were younger, we were allowed to talk to each other and play together- before she got older and had to become a proper young lady," he explained, a hint of sadness in her voice when he mentioned this last detail. "Looking back, I doubt I was much fun to play with. I was quiet and shy, and she was energetic. She had such a fun personality- and she loved adventure." Sarah nodded in agreement. In the past she had tried to imagine her mother as a child, and was eager to hear this from someone who had known her then. "When I remember some of the things she did, it's a wonder I didn't have gray hair by the time I was fourteen," he remarked, chuckling at the memory.

"I remember once, when we were thirteen, she sneaked out of her house in the middle of the night, and went to play on the beach. I woke up about that time, and went to open the window. First thing I see is Elizabeth Swann, wearing a plain servant's dress that was too big for her, running down the street. To this day I don't know how she got away without being noticed, how she got that dress, or how she slipped back in."

"Why?" Sarah asked.

"Hm?"

"Why did she run away?"

Will pondered this for a moment. "I suppose she was just tired of being proper."

It was then that Jack sauntered by on his way to the wheel of the ship, map and compass in hand, muttering some nonsensical ditty to himself. Strolling over to one of the crew members lazing about, he ordered the man to go below and get the rest of the crew on deck. "Where we 'eaded, Cap'n?" the pirate inquired.

"I'll tell ye that some other time, savvy?" Shrugging, he ambled off to do as he had been commanded. Sarah wandered from the ship's railing over to Jack, who was standing at the wheel, looking at his beloved compass, then at the map, then back again. Though the girl stood merely a few feet from him, he did not seem to notice her, and if he did, he chose not to acknowledge her presence.

"We're going to the cay, then," she said softly, her words posing as more of a statement than a question. The pirate turned to regard her briefly, then nodded, turning back to his study of the map. Sarah nodded softly to herself, pleased by the thought. It would be such a relief to be done with this unusual, stressful ordeal.

Having nothing else to say to him at the moment, Sarah returned to the railing to watch the sun come up. This particular morning, the sunrise was remarkably exquisite, even breathtaking. Brilliant reds, oranges, yellows, and pinks stretched across the sky above as colorful fingers of light splayed out over the silvery waters below. The dark outline of a sea bird glided effortlessly over the top of the picturesque scene before diving swiftly down to skim across the water and capture a fish in its powerful talons, then swooped gracefully back up and out of sight. Sarah watched all of this in wide-eyed wonder, utterly transfixed by the sight. She could not help but think that God truly must be amazing to have created such a masterpiece as this.

Her trance was broken by the sound of Kristie's voice issuing from the hatch as she scampered over to where her friend stood. Sarah was disappointed by this untimely interruption, but nonetheless turned to regard the younger girl. "I saw the crew all headed up here," she said breathlessly. "We settin' sail?"

Sarah merely nodded in response. "Thank God," she muttered under her breath.

"I 'eard that," Kristie drawled.

"After all that's happened here, you're still offended when I speak of this place like that? Honestly, Kristie, I can't understand what you find so interesting about it. I thought it was absolutely disgusting."

Kristie shrugged. "I don't know. I jus' wanna know what it's like," she replied, tucking a stray wisp of black hair behind her bandanna.

"I've seen enough," Sarah said, revolting images creeping into her mind once again. She forced them back, wishing to forget such things. Kristianna made no comment on this, and the pair watched idly as the crew prepared the _Pearl_ for the voyage they were about to begin. At length, Sarah spoke again. "Isn't it beautiful?" she gushed.

The younger girl looked at her curiously. "Wot?" she asked.

"The sunrise, of course."

"Same as any other," Kristie declared. "Highly overrated."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "I think it's absolutely beautiful," she stated. "God is amazing," she murmured. Now it was Kristie's turn to roll her eyes.

"I don't see why yer into all that God stuff."

"I don't see why you aren't."

"Since when does a pirate need God?"

"Why shouldn't a pirate need God?"

"'Cause they're independent! Free!"

"Most are scoundrels!"

"Wot are ye implying thar? Ye callin' me a scoundrel?"

"That's where you're headed!" Sarah was getting angry now.

"Says the daughter o' two pirates," Kristie scoffed.

"I said most, not all." Her words were quiet now, but came through clenched teeth.

Throwing up her hands in exasperation, Kristie turned away with a huff.

Several minutes passed without a word passing between them. Then, "Ye wanna go up to the crow's nest?"

Sarah nodded, and the conflict was resolved.

* * *

><p><em>Sunday, September 29th<em>

_Aboard the Black Pearl_

_Dear Diary,_

_So much has happened just since I wrote yesterday. We returned to the Pearl, told my parents everything, and we all trooped back into that wretched place to search some more. We did not find Jonathan, unfortunately, but we did find something. When he was either busy or too drunk to care, someone- Jonathan's kidnapper- slipped a piece of parchment into Uncle Jack's coat pocket. It wasn't a ransom note, as it would have been were this one of my adventure novels, but rather a map. I recognized Jamaica, and I could point out where Port Royal and Tortuga were. Over near Isla de Muerta, there's a little cay with a bright red X scrawled upon it. On the back of the paper, there was a note. It read, "Go here if you ever want to see your son again!" I was afraid, but excited as well. It was as though I had fallen into a pirate story, and was living as one of the characters. On the other hand, I now know that such things as kidnappings and criminals are not playthings for stories, or simply exciting adventures. They are, in fact, dangerous and frightening._

_Anamaria took the news well, or at least better than I would have were I in her place. Early this morning, I overheard her arguing with Uncle Jack over something, though I know naught what. I assume it had to do with Jonathan or the map.  
><em>

_As I write this, I am sitting in a stairwell on the deck of the Pearl. The sun is perhaps ten hours high. Early this morning we left the harbor in Tortuga, and we are sailing for the cay I mentioned earlier. The sunrise today was amazing- I've never seen so much color in one scene in all my life. Of course, Kristie declared it to be just like any other; not anything special. I fear I shall never understand that child._

_The sun is shining into my eyes. I shall write again soon._

_Always,_

_Sarah Turner_

Stuffing diary and writing supplies into her bag, she stood and turned to walk towards the hatch, but very nearly ran headlong into Jacob, the new crew member. "Oh! I'm sorry," she said quickly, smiling apologetically.

"It's alright," he said softly, and she noted that there was something strange about his voice. Perhaps a rare accent?

Wishing to ease the awkward silence, Sarah attempted to make conversation with the boy. Besides, she liked to befriend every crew member. "So you're Jacob, right?"

The boy nodded shyly. "Father tells me you're only seventeen," she continued tentatively. Again, he said not a word, but simply nodded his head. "What made you leave home so young?" She regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth, but could only hope she had not come across as prying and rude. Nonetheless, in a feeble attempt to take back her words, she hastily said, "I mean, you don't have to tell me- I'm just a stranger- I'm sorry if I sound rude, I'm just curious..."

He shook his head as if to say he was not offended, but still he hesitated before replying. "Family issues." He said nothing more, and instinct told her that he had good reason. Sarah bit her lip. She couldn't imagine how hard his life must be, and felt deeply sorry for him. She could not blame him for wishing not to discuss such things.

"Oh," she said simply. Then, after a brief pause, "I'm sorry."

He nodded, his thin shoulders drooping slightly. "Well, we're glad to have you here," she said in an attempt to change the subject. "I hope you like it here on the Pearl."

"Thank you. I'm sure I will."

Sarah had to admit she was somewhat relieved when Jack gave him an order and he scurried off to carry it out. Their conversation had been even more awkward than when she ran into Robert and he wasn't expecting to see her. Then, he tended to stutter a bit, wring his hands repeatedly, and hardly look her in the eye. If you asked her, he acted as though he had committed some horrid crime. How ironic that was, because when Kristie got away with something she was not supposed to, she acted as though nothing was wrong at all, and anyone who did not know her well would never suspect a thing.

As she made her way down the corridor towards her cabin to stow her diary safely therein, her thoughts drifted back to Jonathan. If they had been a fortnight from Barbados, she guessed that they were six, perhaps seven days from the cay, and already she was growing frustrated and impatient. To wait nearly another full week would be torture, not only for her but for her friends as well. But perhaps they would be able to occupy their minds with attempting to get to know the new hands. Jacob certainly seemed to be an interesting character. He acted as though he kept some deep, dark secret, like he was terrified that someone might break through his shell of silence and meet the boy under the hat. Though the intention behind his distant, closed-off manner was likely to make her disenchanted with the idea of getting to know him, it only served to make her more determined to befriend him.

She walked unhurriedly down the dark corridor towards her cabin, reflecting on the whirlwind of the past few days. If she guessed correctly, they should arrive at the little cay in five days, perhaps six. Oh, how she wished she could somehow make this ship travel faster! Even now, just a few short hours into their journey, she was starting to become frustrated and impatient. She shuddered to think what might become of poor Jonathan if they did not promptly fulfill whatever requirements their mysterious foe might lay down. She desperately hoped that they would be able to reach an accord; she doubted she could live with herself if something dreadful were to happen to him because of her rash decision to go ashore with Kristie.

By now, she had reached her cabin, and she tucked the little satchel beneath her pillow. She always hid it there, lest Kristie discover it and read all that she'd written. True, they were best friends, but she would never understand Sarah's gentle way of looking at life. Then she hurried back to the deck.

* * *

><p>That evening, as the girls were just settling down into their respective bunks for the night, Kristie abruptly sat upright. "Bugger. My sword is out on deck," she muttered.<p>

"Why did you even bring it out there in the first place?"

"'Cause I wanted to practice fencing, of course."

"Well, then go and get it," Sarah said, yawning.

"Will ye come with me?" Kristie asked, clambering down the rickety ladder and nearly falling in doing so.

Sarah groaned. "Why?"

"Why not?"

Sighing, Sarah agreed. "Alright." She doubted she would fall asleep for a while yet anyways.

While trudging down the hallway, Sarah abruptly stopped in her tracks. "Wot?" Kristie asked, but Sarah hushed her quickly.

"Listen," she whispered. The younger girl fell totally silent, trying her best to hear whatever it was her companion was referring to. After a moment, she could faintly make out the sound of voices coming from somewhere nearby. Looking about in bewilderment, she saw Sarah standing with her ear pressed against the wall, beckoning to her. Not wanting to miss anything, she immediately came to join her friend.

They both instantly recognized one of the voices as belonging to Jack, but the other took them a while longer. Sarah was the first to realize who the second speaker was, as she had talked briefly with him earlier and now remembered the strange accent. It was the new hand, Jacob. But what were they talking about at this hour?

"We're sailin' to this 'ere cay," they heard Jack say.

After a moment, the boy inquired timidly, "But why?"

The captain sighed. "Ye see," he began, "Ye know how my son, Jonny, was kidnapped, right? Right. So we got instructions to go the cay if we ever wanna see 'im again. Now, if ye ever tell that to anyone else on the ship, yer gonna be sorry, savvy?"

"Yes, sir." A pause. "May- may I see the map?"

There was another hesitation, then Jack relented. "For just a minute, I suppose."

Several moments passed, each seeming like an eternity, and Sarah tiptoed over to the keyhole, so she might see what the two were doing. She could see Jacob staring down at the map, examining it carefully. From under the brim of his hat, she noticed his dark eyes widen momentarily before any sign of emotion was carefully concealed by a mask of indifference. Nonchalantly, he turned the parchment over in his hands to see the opposite side, and Sarah heard him stifle a gasp. "Ivan," he breathed. The two girls exchanged wide-eyed, curious, incredulous looks. Who was Ivan?

"Wot?" asked Jack, turning back to face the boy.

"N-nothing," he stuttered. "Just clearing my throat." He coughed slightly. "I won't keep you any longer."

Jack seemed satisfied with this answer, and Jacob turned to leave. Not wanting to be caught eavesdropping, the two girls hastened towards their cabin, struggling to keep their footsteps silent, all thoughts of the sword on deck forgotten.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: What do I own? Let's see... some pencils and about a billion notebooks.. a journal... some novels... a block of cheese... Sarah, Kristie, Robert, Jonathan and Jacob... a once-blue-now-grey messenger bag that goes everywhere with me... nope, Pirates of the Caribbean definitely does not make the list. Darn.

Now, on to chapter seven. :D

* * *

><p><em>Later<em>

_Dear Diary,_

_I really should be asleep, but Kristie and I overheard a conversation from the hallway this evening and I simply had to write about it._ _Kristie brought her sword up on deck this afternoon, but forgot to bring it back to our cabin. For some reason, she asked if I would join her in going back up to fetch it, and having nothing better to do, I agreed. As we were walking towards the hatch, I heard voices coming from Uncle Jack's cabin, and on a whim, stopped to listen. I quickly recognized one of the voices as Jacob, the new hand we hired on in Tortuga. Somehow Jack found out that he grew up near the cay where Jonathan has supposedly been taken, and I knew that he had offered to help in navigating the area._

_The conversation started innocently enough- they were simply talking about where exactly it was that we're headed. When Jacob asked to see the map for a moment, I moved to the keyhole so I could see inside. When he turned the map over and saw the note scrawled on the back, he let out a muffled gasp and whispered, "Ivan!" I have no idea who this Ivan is, but I assume he is the writer of the note. When Jack asked if he had said anything, he managed to pass it off as merely clearing his throat._

_I doubt I shall be able to sleep at all tonight, but I am not really allowed to be up at this hour, so I shan't write any more tonight.  
><em>

_Always,_

_Sarah Turner_

* * *

><p>Early the next afternoon, Sarah, Kristie and Robert convened in the crow's nest to discuss Jacob and this strange Ivan fellow.<p>

"It's obvious 'e's the one who snatched Jonny," Kristie announced.

Sarah and Robert both nodded in agreement. "But how would Jacob know his name, or that he was the one we're dealing with?" she thought aloud.

Chewing his lower lip in concentration, Robert suggested that perhaps their new crew member had been a victim of another of Ivan's evil schemes.

"Or 'e could be 'is partner in crime, an' he joined the crew ta spy on us," Kristie offered, her black eyes alight with excitement at the thought.

"No," Sarah said carefully, planning her next words with care. "Uncle Jack might not always be the wisest captain-"

"Hey! Watch it!" Kristie cut in.

"But I think he would have suspected something if that were true," Sarah finished, ignoring Kristie's outburst. "After all, he's too experienced in the art of tricking people to let it slip by him," she remarked.

The threesome sat in silence for a time, each lost in their own thoughts. "Papa said we should be arrivin' at the cay in about four days," Kristie mused.

"Good," Sarah muttered. "I'm not sure I could stand to wait longer than that." Expecting to hear an answer from Robert, she glanced over to where he sat, only to discover that he was no longer in his place. "Robert?" she called, confusion evident in her tone. Suddenly he landed in front of the other two children with a thud as he scampered down from the rigging, where he had climbed a few minutes before.

"Sorry," he mumbled awkwardly, hastily returning to his previous position. However, the little book he attempted to conceal behind his back as he rested against the wall caught Sarah's attention, and she recognized it instantly as the one she had seen him with in Tortuga.

"What is that?" she inquired innocently.

"What book?" he asked, shifting discreetly as if to block her view of the offending object. His tan face took on a lovely shade of crimson when she looked pointedly at the notebook, making it clear that his acting skills could use some work. "If you didn't know what I was referring to, you wouldn't have known it was a book, now, would you?" she commented with a smirk.

Guiltily, he withdrew it from behind him, lifting it up sheepishly. Now she could see that it was indeed a notebook, crafted of leather and similar to her own diary, albeit a bit more worn. She extended a hand. "May I?" she asked softly.

He hesitated, wavering in his decision. First he drew his hand back slightly, and with a stinging sense of loss, Sarah assumed she would not be allowed to peek inside. She had to keep herself from breathing a sigh of relief, though, when he reluctantly handed the book over to her.

He stared at the ground like a child in trouble with his mother as she curiously opened the notebook, clasping and unclasping his fingers repeatedly. Though the girls had doubted it to be possible, his face took on an even darker shade of pink when she stared incredulously at the first page. Utterly enthralled, she slowly, almost reverently turned the page, her jaw hanging slack as her eyes roved over whatever it was he had put within the little book.

Unable to simply sit patiently, Kristie reached for the notebook, all but begging for Sarah to hand it over. The older girl reluctantly relinquished it, and her friend eagerly took it, curiosity dancing in her dark eyes as she peered at the pages. Almost instantaneously, her jaw dropped and her eyes widened, just as Sarah's had.

"Y-you like them?" Robert stuttered nervously, watching the looks on their faces but not knowing quite what to make of the matching astonished expressions.

Both Kristie and Sarah, who had moved to watch over her shoulder, tore their eyes away from the beautiful drawings on the page to meet his uneasy gaze. "I love them!" Sarah exclaimed. "Why don't you ever show anyone these?" Her eyes were irrepressibly drawn back to the book, which was currently opened to an incredibly lifelike portrait of Jack with his compass, standing at the wheel of his precious ship. Turning to the next picture, her eyes alighted on a drawing of Kristie and herself up in the crow's nest, in the midst of a lively discussion. Another page bore a depiction of Ana, with Jonathan resting against her left hip. The sight of the toddler brought the guilt and the stress rushing back to her, and her heart protested with a dull ache. Apparently Kristie felt the same, for she bit her lip, then closed the book.

In response to her question, Robert shrugged. "You should," Sarah declared.

As shy as ever, he made no reply, and the trio's conversation eventually drifted to other things. Later, when Robert climbed down, leaving the girls to themselves, Sarah leaned over and whispered to Kristie, "Who knew your brother was an artist?"

The younger girl shook her head. "Knowin' him, prob'ly no one."

* * *

><p>"How can you be sure this is going to work? What if he sees us?"<p>

"Shh. It'll be fine, ye'll see."

"Kristie, you said that about Tortuga, too."

"Shut it."

"It's true!"

The pair tiptoed towards the dusty crevice in the corner of the galley where Jacob kept his personal possessions, though there was little use in quieting their footsteps when they were whispering so much. They wished to try to obtain some clue as to his past by looking through his belongings. Sarah had noticed his habit of keeping things here the night before, and the two had decided that there must be some dark, mysterious secret he wished to keep hidden. Everyone else kept their things near their hammocks.

Arriving at the corner, the two dropped to their knees beside the little trunk and simultaneously reached for the latch. They were sorely disappointed to find it to be securely locked. Sitting back on her heels, Kristie sighed and pondered the situation for a moment, then suddenly snapped her fingers. "That's it!" Sarah looked at her questioningly. "Ye got a hairpin?" She didn't know how it would aid them, but nevertheless she removed a wire pin from her brown locks, causing a few unruly curls to fall forward into her eyes. Pushing them back over one ear, she handed the pin to her friend, curious to see what she would do with it. She watched, spellbound, as Kristie stuck the wire object into the keyhole, then pulled it out and bent it a bit. She repeated this process a few times, then exclaimed, "Eureka! I got it!" Using the pin as a key, she easily unlocked the little chest.

"I'm not even going to ask where you learned to do that."

"Wise decision, mate."

Together, they reached for the lid, Sarah glancing nervously around to ascertain that this deed would not be witnessed by anyone else, and pulled it open. At first, they saw nothing but a spare change of deckhand attire, much like the plain garments he donned every day. Absolutely certain that there was a reason for Jacob to hide this here, Kristie began to remove the neatly folded clothing to see what might lie beneath. Much to her satisfaction, towards the bottom of the chest they found a comb. It was nothing fancy, but it was incredibly rare for a pirate to own such a commodity. Now that they thought about it, it was also rare for a pirate to fold his clothes; most couldn't be bothered to handle such trifles. They exchanged a curious look. Obviously he had been raised well, and had a past that was markedly different from those of his shipmates. Why a comb, though? Perhaps it had belonged to a loved one and now served as a reminder of them?

At the sound of footsteps in the corridor, Kristie muttered something under her breath. Sarah hastily returned the chest's contents to their proper places and quietly closed the lid, securely closing the lock. Adopting innocent, pleasant looks, they cheerily said their hellos Robin as he walked by, and he returned the greeting. After only a few days on board, Robin was already quite well-liked by everyone. His friendly, easy-going demeanor made it all but impossible not to grow fond of him. He kept the other hands well entertained with his so-called "astrological skills," particularly Mr. Gibbs. Sarah personally believed that he simply enjoyed studying the history of it, and did not truly believe his far-fetched predictions, but she had not mentioned this to anyone as of yet. She had decided to simply let this phase run its course; to let everyone have some fun with it before she started to speak against it.

"Oopsies," Kristie said suddenly, and Sarah turned to look at her questioningly. "I left the pin," she explained sheepishly, and Sarah turned to lean her head against the wall in frustration.

* * *

><p>Will was tangled in the rigging high above the deck, helping to unfurl one of the <em>Pearl<em>'s tattered black sails. He could see Sarah and Kristie from here, arguing over something. He smiled at the sight, shaking his head in wonder. How those two managed to remain best friends was beyond him. As he watched the pair's bickering, he could not help but think of the new little life to arrive soon. Though he already had an eleven-year-old daughter, the role of a father was still a relatively new experience for him, and he was determined to be there for every part of the baby's life, as he had been denied the opportunity to do for his eldest. Although Elizabeth had assured him more times than he could count that it was unnecessary and unreasonable, he felt the guilt rushing back to him. How he wished he could have been there for his family during those ten years! True enough, those who died at sea needed him there in the Land of the Dead, especially after the way they had been neglected by Davy Jones, but he had needed to be there for his wife and daughter as well.

Suddenly, a horrible thought invaded his mind. It had been lurking there for a while now, but he had done his best to forget about it. Did Sarah fault him for his absence? Elizabeth had promised him she didn't, but how could she know? He had missed his daughter's childhood almost in its entirety. What troubles had she gone through without him there? It occurred to him that this could cause tension between siblings, and he could not stand it if a rift were to grow between two of his children. No, he chided himself, Sarah was not the type to become jealous, much less allow envy to divide her family. Nevertheless, he could not shake the uneasy feeling.

"Oy! Will'um! Come down 'ere!" Jolted back to reality by Jack's voice, Will wondered what that crazy pirate needed this time. Glancing down unhurriedly, he saw the captain examining an insignificant piece of driftwood with great intensity before abruptly pulling it away from his face and leaping back, dropping the stick as though it were on fire.

"I think he's delirious," Will muttered under his breath, climbing nimbly down the rigging.

* * *

><p><em>Tuesday, October 1st<em>

_Dear Diary,_

_According to Jack, we are a mere two days from the cay, and everyone is growing anxious. We have learned very little about Jacob, despite the fact that Kristie and I have searched his belongings and spied on him for hours. All we have managed to learn is that he owns a comb and folds his clothes. We believe that the comb is likely a memento- a reminder of someone special to him, perhaps. Speaking of Kristie, her eleventh birthday is tomorrow! I'm sorry that it takes place in such a stressful time, but I'm sure we'll think of some way to make it enjoyable. I actually made her gift quite a while back- Father helped me to fashion a little locket in the smithy. It's quite simple, as I believe she would prefer. I decided against a heart shape, and made it into a plain circle instead, because she's such a tomboy. On the back we engraved her initials, and the front is made to look like a compass. I'm sure she'll love it._

_These past couple of days, I've noticed that Father is acting unusual. He's very quiet, and seems to be lost in his thoughts. Mum has apparently noticed it too, for I've seen her watching him with a peculiar expression on her face. If you watch them for even just a few hours, it's plain to see that they know each other very well. They can communicate without so much as a single word; just a look in the others direction and the meaning is conveyed perfectly. I can't imagine how difficult it must have been for them to be separated for so long._

_Mum just came by and told me Kristie was looking for me. I doubt I shall have much time to write tomorrow, but I shall try to spare at least a few minutes for you, dear diary._

_Always,_

_Sarah Turner_

* * *

><p>Robin Weiss stretched out his weary limbs, wiping the sweat from his brow. So far he was greatly enjoying life at sea, although he had come at a rather inopportune time. The rest of the crew seemed to like him well enough, especially when he read them their daily horoscopes. He smiled softly and shook his head. It was not exactly a well-known fact, but his ancestors had been Gypsies, who truly believed in astrology as a trustworthy source of information. He simply enjoyed learning about Gypsy beliefs and customs, and found the practice of astrology particularly fascinating. Although Captain Sparrow seemed to be more than a tad tipsy on most days, everyone had been quite friendly. A few of those aboard the Pearl were incredibly complex characters, and he was trying his best to get to know them. Jacob, who had been a member of the crew for as short a time as Robin, was allegedly very experienced at navigating the area where they were headed, but no one seemed to know much else about him. Most had yet to catch a glimpse of his face. The friendship between Sarah Turner and Kristianna Sparrow intrigued him; you were just as likely to find them arguing as enjoying each others company.<p>

In his peripheral vision, he watched as the captain laid the map down upon the stairs, setting his compass on top of that so as to prevent it from blowing away with the wind, and considered going over to have a look. He noticed a knot just a little ways above it that was beginning to come loose. Knowing he must act quickly before Sparrow came to retrieve the parchment, he decided to use tightening the knot as a ruse, and strode nonchalantly over to the stairwell. He discreetly glanced down at the paper as he reached for the unruly ropes, and noted that the side facing upwards bore not a map, but a threat: "Go here if you ever want to see your son again!" He was startled for a moment, but recovered quickly. Obviously the note did not refer to Robert, but another boy- unless Captain Sparrow was drunk again. Having had one of his friends go missing as a young lad growing up in Tortuga, he felt genuinely sorry for the Sparrows. He knew what it was like to have a loved one go missing.

His brow furrowed when he saw the oddly-shaped letters that composed the note. His eyes swiftly traversed the deck to be sure no one was paying attention to him, then he moved in to get a closer look. At first glance, one might simply think that the writer of the note must have simply had poor handwriting. However, he had had access to far more education than most boys of his status, and it didn't take him long to recognize the misshapen letters as having a remarkable similarity to Russian letters, as if the writer was used to forming Russian letters with his pen rather than English ones. He wondered why. There was a chance he simply was not a fluent writer, but there was also a possibility that there was some significance to the resemblance between this and the Russian language. Perhaps the kidnapper was of Russian descent? His thoughts were cut short, however, when he heard the distinctive clicking of the captain's boots upon the wooden deck. Tearing his eyes from the page, he returned his focus to the knot and hastily retied it. With a friendly nod to Jack, he meandered back across the wooden planks and back to his work.

* * *

><p>(AN:) Thanks again to all my awesome readers and reviewers! :) It's hard to believe I've already written seven chapters. So what do you guys think? You know the drill- click review button. Type review. Send review. Review goes to inkyfingers' inbox. Inkyfingers becomes happy. Inkyfingers writes more chapters. Repeat and begin again. Everyone lives happily ever after. The end. Savvy?

Well, off I go to write chapter eight! Hope everyone liked it!


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: (insert pathetic attempt at humor here) I don't own pirates. (Seriously, guys, I'm getting sick of writing these things.)

* * *

><p>The next morning, Sarah made a valiant effort at dragging herself from bed before Kristie. This proved to be a challenge as the younger girl had taken after her mother in one respect- she was usually up before the sun. Shortly before dawn, Sarah forced herself to move to a sitting position, despite the fact that she was still incredibly groggy. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she slid out from between the blankets, shivering slightly at the sudden loss of warmth as she left the cozy comfort of her bunk and her bare feet made contact with the icy floor. She rested one knee upon the thin mattress, reaching behind the bed for her bag. Opening it, she rifled through its contents, eventually extracting a tiny box containing the locket. Removing the necklace, she rested it in her palm. She glanced apprehensively at Kristie's sleeping form buried beneath the blankets upon the upper bunk to be sure that her friend was still asleep. Seeing that the girl remained in peaceful slumber, she returned her focus to the simple locket in her cupped hand. She lovingly ran her thumb over the initials engraved upon it, feeling very proud of her work. Granted, her father had done much of the actual work, but she was pleased with herself nonetheless.<p>

Though it was still dark out, Kristie was already beginning to stir in her sleep, alerting Sarah to the fact that she would wake within a matter of minutes. Hastily returning the necklace to its box and tucking the leather cord neatly beneath it, she dropped it back in her bag and hurriedly grabbed her deck attire, getting dressed in record time. With a smirk, she considered how her friend might react if she not only awoke before her, but was above decks by the time Kristie rose. She grinned at the thought, and scurried for the door, slipping outside into the dark corridor.

She poked her head out the hatch and peered about the deck, noting that she had arisen not only before Kristie, but before anyone else. She bit her lip. She had rather hoped that someone else would be awake by now, and for once she was grateful that Kristie would come up soon. As she settled down on the stairwell, it occurred to her that this might be her only opportunity to write today, and seated herself on a stair, pulling book and writing utensils from her satchel.

_Wednesday, October 2nd_

_Kristie and Robert turn eleven today! This morning I woke before her, which is a rare occurrence as she is always up before the sun. I assume that by now she is up and getting dressed. I am writing this by the pale gray light just beginning to creep up on the horizon. I am surprised that Father is not here yet; he usually is awake at dawn, and Mum is up a few minutes later. Well, I do know that Father had to work on deck quite late, so perhaps he simply needed the extra rest. I can't say as I blame him. I myself am just now fully awake!_

_By the way, I learned yesterday what Robert hides in that little book of his. He seemed thoroughly embarrassed when I first looked into it, but I know naught why. He does not write, as I had originally assumed, but creates positively wonderful drawings. There was one of Uncle Jack, one of Mum and Father, one of Kristie and I up in the crow's nest, and countless others, including one of Anamaria holding Jonathan. That was the last I saw, as I could no longer focus on the artwork. Anyway, they were quite remarkable. Who knew he was such a talented artist?_

_I must go, surely someone will be up soon._

_Always,_

_Sarah Turner_

Returning her writing supplies to their home in her bag, she stood and ambled away from the steps, not having any particular destination in mind. Suddenly she shivered, and it occurred to her that the day was quite brisk. She chided herself on not wearing something better suited to the weather, but decided that she simply could not return to the cabin to fetch anything, lest Kristie accuse her of lying when she said she had awoken first. Rubbing her arms in attempt to generate heat, she allowed her dark eyes to wander over the deck, taking in the sight of the morning's first light. After all, she would likely never see it again at this time of day! Her gaze stopped short as she caught a glimpse of something- or rather someone- on the top deck. She silently tiptoed towards the figure. Upon getting a closer look, she realized with a start that it was Jacob. Who else wore a hat like that?

The boy stood motionless at the railing, staring out over the ocean. Abruptly, he jumped nervously, whirling about to where he nearly was looking Sarah straight in the eye. She thanked God for giving her quick reflexes as she dropped swiftly to a crouching position, narrowly escaping Jacobs wary gaze. She remained there behind a barrel with bated breath for what seemed like an eternity, before he hesitantly turned back to the sea, once again leaning against the walls of the ship. Still on her hands and knees, she began slowly making her way towards the hatch nearby. After just a few yards, however, she stopped. It had occurred to her that he would surely hear the distinctive creaking sound created by the hatch as she opened it, but how had he not heard it when she first came outside? Her heart skipped a beat. Either he had been asleep, or he knew she was there. She simply sat down, trying to figure out what to make of the situation. After a few moments' consideration, she decided to act as though nothing was wrong at all. Scampering back to where she had sat just a few minutes hence, writing in her precious diary, she took her place there upon the steps as though she had never moved from that spot. She paused a few seconds for good measure, then stood, pretending to tuck her diary into her bag. She stole a fleeting glance at Jacob, mildly disappointed to note that he still failed to acknowledge her presence. She took a few tentative steps in his direction, then stopped. She craned her neck, trying to see his face. When at last she caught a glimpse beneath the wide brim of his hat, she froze. His eyes were red from crying.

"Sarah! Yer up!" Kristie greeted her cheerfully, scrambling to the deck and letting the hatch slam shut behind her, causing the older girl to wince at the loud noise. Stealing one last glance at the mysterious deckhand nearby, she turned back to the birthday girl.

"I'm surprised ye could get up that early, but I gotta admit I'm kinda sad I didn't get ta wake ye up," Kristie admitted as the two headed down to the galley. Sarah merely smiled in response, unable to hide the fact that she was at least a bit proud of such an accomplishment. The younger girl continued yammering on about something, but no matter how she tried, Sarah could not focus on her words, instead finding her restless mind wandering. Jacob thoroughly baffled her, more and more with each passing day. He was even more of an enigma than Robert, if that was at all possible. He had left home because of family issues, disliked for anyone to see his face, had an odd accent, apparently had some kind of connection to Jonathan's kidnapper, kept a comb in his possessions, hid said possessions in a corner of the galley, and was obviously very depressed. She had absolutely no idea what to make of it all.

"Sarah? Sarah!" Kristie's sharp voice penetrated her thoughts, and she snapped back to attention.

"What?"

"You haven't 'eard a word I said!" she accused. The older girl winced, wondering how long she had neglected to listen to her friend's chattering.

"Sorry," she muttered halfheartedly.

"No, yer not," her companion declared. Then, after a brief pause, "What's on yer mind? Spill it."

Sarah took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. Who better to confide in than Kristianna Sparrow? She couldn't tell the adults; they were far too stressed already. Robert made her nervous with his quiet, stand-offish ways. Jack was usually drunk. "Jacob," she replied simply. The other girl nodded thoughtfully.

"Yeah, 'e's a more 'n bit strange. Wot did 'e do now?"

"Well, I came up here this morning as the sky was just beginning to get lighter, and after a few minutes, I noticed him over at the railing. When I got a closer look, I saw that he- he had been crying."

Kristie stared at her, dumbfounded. "But why?"

"How would I know?"

"Hmm. Maybe 'e found out we searched 'is stuff?"

Sarah rolled her eyes. "I doubt that would make anyone cry, Kristie. He would probably be upset, but I highly doubt that he would be in tears over it."

"Well, it was the first thing I thought of," Kristie retorted. "Why else, though?"

"I don't know." Sarah sighed, staring off into space once more. "I just don't know."

The two sat in silence for a few minutes, their minds drifting to thoughts of Jacob and of Jonathan, as well as of their connection to each other and to this mysterious Ivan.

At length, Kristie broke the silence. "It's my 'leventh birthday, and no one's even outta bed yet 'cept us and the mystery kid out there," she huffed.

Sarah couldn't help but smile at her friend's antics. She was about to suggest that they awaken Robert- after all, it was his birthday as well- but changed her mind. "Would you like to open your gift now?" she inquired, smiling hopefully. Kristie tilted her head to the side, regarding her with curiosity.

"Ye got me a present?"

"Of course!"

Her eyes lit up, and Sarah smiled to herself, rifling through the contents of her bag in search of the little box. At last finding the object, she extracted it from the satchel and looked proudly at it before depositing it in Kristie's outstretched palm.

Kristie stared eagerly at the item for a few moments, enjoying the curiosity of it all. She was quite curious at this point, for it looked as though it would contain some type of jewelry, which both girls knew very well that she would never wear. Sarah stood by, waiting patiently for her to peer inside. She knew this routine all too well- Kristie thoroughly enjoyed simply staring at something, letting the anticipation build. It was a rather unusual habit, but no one would ever accuse her of being an ordinary child.

Finally, unable to wait any longer, she anxiously pulled the lid off of the box. At first her brow furrowed, and Sarah began to worry that perhaps she did not like her gift after all. These fears dissipated, however, when Kristie slowly, almost reverently, lifted the pendant by its leather cord, admiring its intricately engraved markings. "Do you like it?" Sarah inquired tentatively.

"Nah," she replied nonchalantly. She looked up to see her friend's shoulders droop in disappointment. "I love it," she finished with a grin. A huge smile broke out on Sarah's face.

"That wasn't very nice," she chided teasingly.

"No, but it was fun," Kristie answered with a smirk. Sarah glared at her for a moment before throwing her arms around her neck in a happy embrace. At first the younger girl stiffened a bit at the sudden contact, but just as quickly she relaxed.

Pulling back, Kristie grinned. "Let's go wake up the others, savvy?"

Sarah smiled in return. "Savvy."

* * *

><p>The rest of the day passed pleasantly enough, especially considering the harsh reality. Kristie and Robert's friends and family did their best to make their special day an enjoyable one, though no one could possibly silence the nagging worries about the next day from their minds- a fact evidenced by the tension filling the air even in their most carefree moments over this past week. Robert, now at least somewhat more confident in his artistic abilities, presented his twin sister with a sketch of her standing at the wheel of her own ship, which she promptly tacked to the wall beside her bunk. In return, she gave him some colorful wooden beads, telling him it was about time he started braiding them into his hair and that he would look more like a pirate if he did so. Jack and Ana gave Kristie a map of the entire world, something she had wished for for many months now, and a ship's log in which to record her travels and such, and gave Robert the compass he had pointed out a few months before. Though far more quiet and reserved than his siblings, he did enjoy adventure.<p>

Evening found Sarah and Kristie on the top deck, playing the latter's favorite game, liar's dice. Kristie eagerly eyed the pile of matchsticks they were playing for, contemplating what she could do with them if she won- no, when she won, she quickly corrected herself. About a year before, they had agreed that with the matchsticks they won, they could pay the other for the right to decide a day's activities. She stole a glance at her dice before turning back up to face her opponent with a disarmingly confident expression. She continued to stare her down as she deftly scooped her own dice into the container, spilling them out on the deck before her and concealing them with an arm, tallying up the results, skillfully hiding any emotion behind a mask of indifference. When one played against a Sparrow at a game of deception on a regular basis, one had to learn well or be made a fool of with every game. "Full house, fours over twos," she announced, her voice laden with confidence. With a satisfied grin, Kristie straightened out.

"Yer bluffin'," the younger girl stated simply.

"Oh? And what would make you think that?"

"Yer eye twitched again," she said with a smirk.

"Did not!" Sarah retorted, indignant, though her voice betrayed her amazement at her friend's keen observation.

"C'mon, lemme see 'em," Kristie prodded teasingly. "Ye know the rules."

Disappointment surfaced on Sarah's face as she removed her arm, revealing not a full house, but rather a two, a three, a four, a five and a six- a high straight.

"Hah!" Kristie yelled gleefully, pointing at her friend. "Caught ya!" Sarah merely smiled and shook her head in wonder. This child was second only to her father when it came to this game, she had to admit. She gathered up the dice and returned them to their proper places in the old dish for the next game as her companion happily claimed her prize.

As Kristie became engrossed in counting up her loot, Sarah's thoughts inevitably drifted once again to the absent member of their happy little family. Her eyes wandered to the full moon overhead and she absently murmured, "I wonder if Jonathan will be as good as you are when he gets older."

Kristie continued counting out the matchsticks, though much more slowly now as she too thought of her younger brother. "We'll git 'im back tomorrow." Her words were uttered stoically, and she did not even look up. Sarah nodded in agreement, and they sat there in silence for a few moments as the last edges of light disappeared over the horizon, cloaking the Pearl in darkness.

* * *

><p>That night, sleep evaded those aboard the ship, leaving them to wrestle with their fears and uncertainties in regard to the events looming ahead of them the next morning. Sarah and Kristie both tossed and turned into the wee hours of the morning, the obnoxious creaking of the bunk bed not aiding them at all in their attempts to obtain a night of rest. Meanwhile, Robert lay awake behind the next door, the emptiness of the trundle bed beside him haunting him. He was consumed by an overwhelming sense of guilt when he so much as heard his brother's name or laid eyes on his possessions. Jack and Ana both lay awake, simply unable to close their eyes. Will and Elizabeth were the only ones who actually managed to sleep that night.<p>

Finally, at a little more than three hours past midnight, Kristie whispered, "Sarah, ye awake?"

"Of course I am. I haven't slept a wink," she muttered.

Thus reassured that she would not awaken her friend in doing so, Kristie scampered down the ladder. Surprised at the sudden action, Sarah sat upright and hesitated a moment before asking, "What are you doing?"

"Gettin' up," Kristie replied calmly, as though there was nothing unusual about it.

"Dare I inquire as to your intentions?" Sarah drawled, one eyebrow quirking up.

"If I can't sleep, I might s'well go explorin'," she reasoned, slipping her bare feet into her worn leather boots.

Sarah was about to ask what there was left to explore, seeing as she had lived on this ship most of her life, but bit her tongue. Truth be told, since she could not sleep a wink, she herself wished to escape the cramped cabin and stretch her legs. Perhaps she ought to join her friend. She considered the option for a brief moment, then climbed out of the lower bunk, shrugging into her coat and tugging on her own brown boots.

She silently closed the cabin door behind her as she stepped out into the hall, finding Kristie waiting impatiently for her. Looking up at her expression, she could easily tell that there was a smart remark on the tip of her tongue. However, it was nigh onto three- thirty in the morning, and she did not want to put up with any teasing at this hour. She shot Kristie a warning look, and she responded with a piteous look. She sighed. Another perfect comment snubbed.

They crept down the hallway, careful to avoid those sections of the floor that creaked when forced to bear their weight. Sarah stopped dead in her tracks when she heard a faint rustling noise, followed by a creak, coming from behind the door to her left, which led to her parents' cabin. Motioning for Kristie to stay put and remain silent, she stepped out of her boots and tiptoed barefoot up to the door. She doubted her mother and father would appreciate their daughter roaming about the ship in the dead of night while they slept, and prayed they had not heard her footsteps and been awakened. Edging closer, she bent to peer through the keyhole. In the darkness she could see her parents sleeping peacefully, Elizabeth snuggled up under Will's chin, his arms wrapped protectively around her. She smiled to herself at the sight. She highly doubted that they would awaken anytime soon.

She inched quietly away from the door, then turned to Kristie and signaled to her that all was well. When they reached the hatch, they opened it as slowly as possible, then closed it in the same fashion when they were above decks. When it shut with nothing but a gentle clicking noise, Sarah let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Almost as one unit, they turned to the ship's wheel, only to find the hand who was supposed to be steering with his hands on the spokes, his head hanging, asleep. With their shipmates on the opposite side of the closed door, they were free to raise their voices just a little bit. "So what you want to do, now that we're up here?" Sarah inquired.

"One, see if Jacob's up 'ere. Two, watch for land." The older girl looked at her skeptically.

"I doubt we'll find him."

"Why not? He was out 'ere when you woke up 'fore the sun yesterday."

"To be an early riser is one thing, to stay up all night is another!"

"If ye don' wanna come, why don't ye go back below, then!"

Sarah grimaced. Unfortunately for her, Kristie always knew just what to say to make her change her mind about matters such as this, and it could get quite annoying. "How about you go look for Jacob, and I'll go see if I can spot the island yet," she proposed.

Kristie made no reply, but simply shrugged and strode off to scour the ship for the crew member in question. Sarah meandered over to the railing, taking her time. Despite her lack of rest, she was only the tiniest bit sleepy. Resting her forearms against the weathered wood, she leaned forward, squinting at the sea stretched out before her. Though it was dark out, the lights on deck allowed her to see fairly well at least a short distance in front of her. At first she could not see anything at the horizon, save for a light misting of fog adorning the water's edge. Not willing to give up just yet, she let her eyes rove over the scene, anxiously searching for any sign of their destination. Suddenly a small object in the water below caught her eye, and her brow furrowed. She took a few steps to her left, peering down at the curious article. Upon closer examination, she discovered that it was a twig, complete with a few green leaves. An elated smile spread across her face when she saw this. Such a branch meant that there was land nearby, for that was the only place such a tree could survive. Then a voice spoke from just a few inches behind her. "What're ye lookin' at?"

Sarah spun around quickly, not having heard anyone behind her. "Kristie! Don't scare me like that!" she scolded. The younger girl grinned mischievously, then moved to stand at her side and look down where she had just seen Sarah gazing. Though the branch had drifted away on the current, she managed to catch a glimpse of it just before it disappeared from view. She raised an eyebrow at her companion, wondering how on earth such a thing could make her so happy. Suddenly her jaw dropped and she grinned happily as she suddenly realized the twig's significance. "So did you find Jacob?" Sarah asked.

"No," Kristie muttered, kicking at the ground, hating to admit that she had been wrong.

"Well, I couldn't see land, so neither of us found what we wanted to," Sarah said gently, not wanting to see her friend unhappy.

"No, but ye saw signs o' land, an' that's close enough."

Sarah made no reply, silently conceding that this was true. "We should get back to our cabin before someone finds us," she pointed out.

"Yeah," Kristie admitted. With one last look out at the ocean, the two headed for the hatch. When they climbed back into their respective bunks and closed their eyes, each fell into a restful sleep, content in knowing that by this time tomorrow, little Jonathan would be safely aboard the ship once more. Little did they know that their adventure was far from over.

* * *

><p>(AN:) Ehh, not too much going on in this one. I promise chapter nine will be more exciting. :) Thanks to all my readers for sticking around so far, especially those who reviewed! You guys are awesome, and I really appreciate your support. This is by far the longest thing I've ever written, and it's nice to know people like it. The next chapter should be up by Thursday of next week.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Dear fanfiction police people (or whoever actually reads these things)... No, I am not stealing the Pirates of the Caribbean characters from Disney. I only intend to borrow them, and I promise I will return them just as they are now after I'm done playing with them. There is no cause for worry. Can we get over this silly obsession of yours now? The PotC characters just aren't mine, and they never will be, savvy?

(A/N:) I know there wasn't much going on in chapter eight, but I promise this one is a LOT more interesting! ;)

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><p>The following morning, Sarah, Kristie, Robert, Will, Elizabeth, Jack and Ana all gathered on deck at dawn. By now they had arrived at the cay, and each was filled with anticipation at the prospect of rescuing Jonathan today. However, Sarah noted, the cay was much, much bigger than they had assumed- not really a cay at all, in fact, but rather an island. Everyone on deck was at least a tiny bit disappointed to find that, at least from the deck, one could see nothing but sand and trees. Kristie strolled over to the railing, examining the sandy shore while the crew lowered the longboat which would carry them ashore.<p>

Sarah tapped her mother's shoulder from behind. When she turned around to face her, she inquired, "Who will be going ashore?" Elizabeth immediately understood the underlying meaning of the seemingly simple question. Sarah wished to know if she had regained enough trust to be allowed along on the expedition, but was assuring her that she would understand if she wished her to remain behind. "Your father and I will go ashore with Jack and Ana first, and if all goes well, you, Kristie and Robert can come along on the next trip. The island is much larger than we originally thought, so it might take a while to find Jonathan's captors." Sarah nodded pensively.

"Be careful," she implored, her deep brown eyes reminding Elizabeth so very much of Will as they stared into hers, pleading with her to return safely.

"We will," she assured her. Chuckling, she added, "You really needn't worry- your father is doing enough of that as it is, especially with this little one." She patted her slightly swollen belly, indicating the new life growing within her. A splashing noise and a call from Robin alerted them to the fact that the longboat was ready to carry the adults ashore, and Elizabeth pulled her daughter into an embrace, kissing the top of her head affectionately. "We'll be back soon," she promised.

Elizabeth climbed nimbly into the boat while Will stood by to steady her if she fell. Sarah bit back a giggle as her mother turned on her father and said, "I'm fine, honestly. For goodness sakes, Will, you can be such a worrywart." Will mumbled an apology, and Elizabeth smiled and shook her head.

"How long do ye think it's gonna be till they're back?" Kristie asked.

Sarah whirled about to face her. "And why would such a thing matter? If I recall correctly, the last time you asked that question it didn't exactly end well."

Kristie flung up her hands in exasperation. "Sorry, mate! Just a question," she said defensively.

Sarah's shoulders sagged. "I know," she admitted guiltily. "I- I guess I'm just really anxious about finding Jonny and I don't want anything to go wrong. I'm sorry," she muttered. "I know you aren't-"

"Alright, cut the fluff. Apology accepted, savvy?" Sarah rolled her eyes and turned her gaze back to the island. "So what do ye wanna do?" Kristie asked. Her friend made no reply, but eyed her warily, not particularly eager to go along with any ideas today. Kristie racked her brain for something interesting that Sarah would not reject on the spot. After a few moments of thinking, she suggested, "Wanna go up to the crow's nest and spy on 'em?"

Sarah considered this for a while, finally concluding that such an activity would do no harm, and the pair clambered up the rigging to their hideout. Kristie scrambled up to the edge as soon as she had climbed in, and stared down at the island stretched out before her. Sarah tumbled over the wall of the circular enclosure, letting out a yelp when she landed on her knee. She quickly came over to join her friend, still rubbing the sore joint. "Have you found them yet?" she asked.

Kristie pointed to a colorful dot among the trees. "That's Papa," she said. Sarah nodded. If she looked hard enough, she could tell that the clashing combination of reds, blues, browns and purples were the random assortment of clothes Jack wore. They leaned against the dark wood, following the adults with their eyes as they headed towards the jungle.

* * *

><p>"Ah!" Robin winced as his boot caught on a stray vine, causing a sudden pain in his ankle. After nearly an hour of exploring the island, they had yet to spot anything but trees. Jack and Will were in charge of breaking branches, leaving threads, and turning over rocks to mark where they had been, but despite their precautions, he doubted he was the only one concerned about the issue of finding their way back. However, Jack was in charge of this expedition. Who were they to question his orders? Some days they had an excuse, but today he wasn't even the slightest bit drunk. Rather, he was almost acting like a normal, rational Englishman- it was almost unnerving to see him like this. Robin paused briefly to wipe the sweat from his brow and take in his surroundings. He could hardly see the sun through the dense foliage surrounding them. The trees were filled with colorful, exotic birds whose chattering songs echoed throughout the island. Everyone felt somewhat lethargic in the thick, hot humid air, yet they plunged ahead indefinitely in search of Jonathan's captors. He brushed a stray reddish-brown lock of hair out of his eyes. His head snapped up when he heard a yelp to his left. Ragetti was slapping at his shoulder frantically. Elizabeth turned around from her place beside Will. At first she appeared concerned, but upon seeing what it was, her expression changed to one of amusement.<p>

"I doubt it'll hurt you," she drawled. Next to him, Pintel glared at his old friend.

"Wot, are ye too much o' a wimp to take a bit 'o bird droppin's on yer sleeve?" he said with a smirk.

"I didn't know wot it was!" Ragetti shot back defensively.

"Keep movin', mates," Jack interjected, plowing ahead determinedly. He flipped open his magical compass, and began hacking away at the brush, clearing a path in the direction the arrow pointed.

Several minutes passed with nothing but the sickeningly cheerful green bombarding them from every side, with nothing to discover but more and more of the wretched undergrowth that continued to severely hinder their progress. But after about a quarter hour more, their blades found nothing more to slash through. They had come to a clearing in the forest. Everyone exchanged looks of hope mingled with foreboding. Will was the first to step forward, dubiously glancing ahead. There was a path worn in the brush, which started again about one hundred meters ahead of them, but they could not see what lay ahead because of a curve in the tunnel. Motioning for the others to follow, he advanced towards the trail. "Wait," Elizabeth called out, and he turned back to face her. "How about a few of us go ahead while the rest stay here?" she suggested, and Pintel and Ragetti immediately agreed, neither of them eager to follow the dark trail ahead. It was quickly decided that the two of them would remain in the clearing and watch for trouble while Robin accompanied the Turners and the Sparrows. As their friends traipsed off into the tunnel, Ragetti mumbled, "Tha's just not right."

"Wot?" Pintel asked in bewilderment.

Ragetti turned and pointed behind them. Merely thirty meters from where they had emerged into the clearing, there was a path similar to the one the others had just ventured into led towards the beach.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth paused and looked upwards, automatically raising a hand to shield her eyes, but finding it unnecessary to do so, seeing as they were surrounded by lush, dense forest. The path had clearly been traveled relatively often, for they had yet to come across any kind of obstacle. Unfortunately, they also had yet to stumble upon anything of any importance, save for the path itself. Granted, they had been following the tunnel for a mere quarter mile or so, but the cramped, stuffy feeling that came from having five people in such a small space was beginning to make her head ache, and the fact that she was two months pregnant certainly did nothing to help her situation. As she resumed walking, it occurred to her that it might in fact be a very lovely place, had they not been in such a dire situation, what with a child missing and kidnappers nearby.<p>

She wondered what the older children were doing back aboard the Pearl. Surely Kristie had stirred up some sort of mischief by now; after all, they had been gone for well over an hour at this point. What if they had secretly followed them? She felt her stomach clench at the thought, but willed herself not to think of such things. There was no way they had been foolish enough to attempt such a thing. Had they not learned their lesson well enough from their misadventures in Tortuga?

And yet something in the corners of her mind nagged at her, pointing out that only this morning, Sarah had watched her mother, who was with child, tramp off into the great unknown without a second thought. How must her actions have influenced her daughter? Had her bold actions caused Sarah to question the need to stay behind, to wonder if it would truly be all that bad to follow behind? She wanted to tell Will of her troubled thoughts, because she knew he was more likely than her to see both sides of things in situations such as this. She opened her mouth to speak, but stopped herself before the words escaped her lips. He was worried enough as it was; it would be unfair to further weigh him down with her own troubled thoughts. Though she knew he would not want her to worry, she didn't wish for him to be troubled, either, so she simply kept walking.

* * *

><p>As it turned out, however, Elizabeth needn't have worried. The children had indeed learned from their mistake, and were content to remain on the ship. Sarah and Kristie had played several rounds of liar's dice- Kristie won five games, Sarah won two- and were now headed down to the galley to fetch some breakfast. Neither had thought to grab any food when they woke up. Who had time to eat when there was so much going on? By this time, though, both girls were quite hungry. As they arrived in the galley, they noticed Jacob kneeling before his little trunk, locking it securely. He seemed not to notice their presence, and they watched curiously. As he was standing up, he turned back suddenly, as though something had just caught his eye. He reached down behind his trunk and plucked something up off the floor, then brought it to his face to examine it more closely. He was still staring at it as he turned towards them to leave the room. Upon seeing Sarah and Kristie standing there, he jumped, startled to find that he was not alone. "Good day," Sarah greeted him cheerfully. "We were just coming down to fetch some breakfast. Would you like to join us?" Kristie stared incredulously at her friend. When had she learned to act so nonchalant when caught? She couldn't help but smile. She had taught her well.<p>

"Th-thank you, but no," he stuttered. "Uh- have you... Have you seen this before?" He held up a mangled hairpin.

Kristie leaned in closer, examining the object in question with great interest. "Sorry, can't say as I 'ave," she said apologetically.

"It's all right," he said quickly. "I-I was just wondering. Thanks anyways."

"Anytime," Kristie said gallantly, and they parted ways.

A few minutes later, the pair sat together on the same stairway Sarah had the day before, munching contentedly at their biscuits. "That was close," Sarah remarked.

"Wot?" Kristie asked through a mouthful of biscuit.

"Don't talk with your mouth full."

Kristie swallowed the bite, then asked her question again, with more than a hint of exasperation in her voice.

"We're lucky Jacob didn't notice that that hairpin was bent into the same shape as his key," Sarah said wryly. Her friend shrugged, obviously not too worried about whether she was fortunate in this respect or not. Sarah sighed. "It's been nearly two hours since they went ashore," she commented.

Kristie nodded. "What do ye wanna do?" She didn't even give the poor girl time to answer before her face lit up and she sat straighter. "We could fence," she suggested.

Sarah ruminated on the possibility for a moment. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Kristie's anxious expression and found it quite amusing. "All right," she consented. A huge grin spread across her companion's face.

"Go git yer sword," she ordered.

"What about yours?"

Kristie patted the weapon at her side. "Got it."

Sarah sauntered towards the hatch to retrieve her own blade. Though the Sparrow twins occasionally had been permitted to borrow and use their father's sword, Sarah had not been allowed to use anything but a wooden replica without careful supervision until she turned ten. Now that she finally had a weapon of her own, she had vowed to keep it immaculate and well cared for as long as she possibly could. Therefore, unless it was needed, she kept it in her cabin.

As she passed the galley, something caught her eye. She hesitated, then walked quietly back towards the half-open door. She tucked a wayward curl behind her ear and peered into the dimly-lit room. Indeed, something- no, someone- was in there. The first thought to invade her mind was of Jacob. Was it him again? She had to know. She shed her heavy boots, leaving them a few feet away from the door. As quietly as possible, she tiptoed to the entrance. It occurred to her that she had done this sort of thing more in this past week than in all her life leading up to it. Her suspicions were quickly confirmed when she saw Jacob bent over the tiny chest, rifling through its contents in search of some unknown object. Her brow furrowed in confusion. Hadn't he just been in here a few moments before? Shaking her head to rid herself of such thoughts, she walked towards her boots. If he had something he needed in there, who was she to stop him? It was his own personal business, and she had no right to meddle. After all, Kristie would be waiting for her.

And yet she felt as though she was being pulled back, drawn towards the room and he who was in it by some invisible force.

She returned to the galley.

Though she continued to berate herself as she did so, she couldn't help herself. Holding her breath, she crept back, peering between the door and the wall first to ascertain that he had his back to the door, and looked around the door. What she witnessed there turned everything she thought she knew about the boy upside down, inside out and backwards.

* * *

><p>After what seemed like an eternity, the tunnel came to an end, and Will stepped out into the brilliant midday sunshine. He squinted in the sudden bright light, looking around and seeing what they had arrived at. Elizabeth came to stand beside him. "Where are we now?" she asked, not speaking to anyone in particular.<p>

"'Ow would I know?" Jack muttered under his breath. He stood a few feet ahead of Will, scanning their surroundings. Indeed, it was a curious place. Shortly before the forest began again there were seven or eight makeshift cottages. Most were built using raw materials, with palm leaves being the best protection they could offer, but one was significantly larger and more prestigious than the others. In fact, it could nearly pass as a relatively respectable little home in a town such as Port Royal, or at the very least, in Tortuga.

"What do we do from here?" Robin asked.

"You can stay here and watch for any danger," Will said decisively. "I guess we'll have a look around."

Elizabeth took a deep breath. The journey here had been more taxing on her than it had on any of the others, seeing as she carried another human being within her- a small one, but a human nonetheless. "That one's our best bet," she declared, indicating the larger dwelling with a nod of her head. She looked back at their companions to see what they thought of this. Ana wore a determined, unwavering expression on her face as she stared straight ahead at the building. Robin appeared somewhat tentative, but nonetheless willing to proceed. When she looked back towards the building a few moments later, Jack had already begun striding towards the house. She walked off after him, and the others quickly followed suit. Upon reaching the door, Will, who had somehow ended up there first, rapped loudly on the wooden boards. When there was no response, he knocked again, more insistently this time. Still there was no answer. Elizabeth pushed past Jack and tried to turn the handle. Finding it unlocked, she slowly pushed the door open, revealing an unlit front room. As it swung slowly open, the hinges emitted an abrasive creaking sound. As Will stepped onto the threshold, he found that it was far cooler inside than outside. On the way here, he might have appreciated a few moments' reprieve from the sweltering heat, but within the little house it only served to send a chill down his spine.

Anamaria reached out and ran a finger over the top of a wooden table. "Someone's been 'ere recently," she announced, holding up her forefinger. "No dust." Suddenly, they heard a faint noise from somewhere beyond the dark hallway, and all four snapped to attention. Jack, Will and Elizabeth instinctively reached for their swords, and Ana grabbed a pistol from her belt. They each let out a breath they hadn't realized they were holding when a mangy grey tomcat emerged from the shadows. Without saying another word, Ana began to advance into the darkness. Even the thought of such a thing made her stomach clench, but she would do anything to save Jonathan.

* * *

><p>(AN) *cue epic soundtrack* Double cliffie! Muahaha! :D

So I realized after writing this that it has no diary entries- hope you don't mind. It's also kind of short, but I don't want to drag it out unless it's necessary because that makes it seem forced and boring. I'm gonna call it space-efficient. :P

Coming up next: Will, Elizabeth, Jack and Ana explore the hut/house, and we get to find out what Sarah sees in the galley. Robert and Robin get to know each other, for a.. erm... unique reason.

This is completely random, but you know how we always use "a" before a word beginning with a consonant and "an" before a word beginning with a vowel? "Unique" is unique in that respect. (worst joke-ish statement ever, I know.) Now that will haunt the dark corners of your mind into the lonely shadows of the night. Heh.. heh... right. Shutting up now.

Adios, mi amigos!


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Blah, blah, blah... Pirates of the Caribbean not mine... love pirates, not a pirate. Sorry mate, go pick on someone your own size.

(A/N:) Woohoo! Chapter ten! Landmark number right there! :D Cookies for everyone. (hands out virtual cookies) Now to find out what Sarah saw in the galley. Enjoy!

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><p>Sarah stood rooted to the spot in the galley entrance, her dark eyes hardly believing what they were witnessing as Jacob took off his trademark hat.<p>

This action caused long, dark, wavy locks to tumble freely down his back. He quickly snatched up a strip of cloth from the top of the chest, twisting his hair up onto the top of his head before it had even registered in her brain what he was doing. He deftly looped the fabric through, knotting it securely. He then proceeded to shake his head a bit to ascertain that no stray locks would escape. It occurred to Sarah that he would probably turn around soon, and she ducked into the shadows so as not to be caught spying on him. Sure enough, just a few moments later, he glanced anxiously around, apparently as worried about being seen by her as she was about being seen by him. She was just thinking that if he wished to keep his hair long, that was his decision; that she would move on and leave him be, when she caught a fleeting glimpse of the face that was otherwise hidden beneath the brim of his hat. Her heart skipped a beat at what she saw.

If he was indeed a seventeen-year-old boy, she was genuinely sorry for him, for even from such a brief glance, she was nearly certain that he was, in fact, a she. Her breath shallow, she began to back slowly away from the galley entrance, turning to leave. She was not yet ready to believe this. No wonder he- or she- wore that hat everywhere. She was just realizing that this might very well explain the comb as well, when she slammed her sore knee into an open door. She tried desperately to stifle the yelp that followed, but it was no use. Jacob sprang to his feet. "Who goes there?" he called out in his strange accent.

With a guilty, sheepish expression on her face, Sarah hobbled out from the security of the shadows. "I- I'm sorry," she stuttered. "I was on my way to fetch my sword and I couldn't help but notice you in here."

She went on trying to explain how she happened to observe the clandestine action when she abruptly realized that the poor girl was trying hard not to cry. "Are- are you all right?" she inquired tentatively.

Attempting to regain some composure, Jacob replied dully, "I had hoped not to be caught, but I suppose the secret is out now."

"I was right, then?" Sarah responded evasively.

"You- you knew?" she asked, incredulous.

"No! I mean I simply assumed from what I saw just now."

Jacob, or whoever this person was, nodded sullenly. "I suppose I'll be either killed or forced to leave now."

A concerned, questioning look crossed Sarah's features. "Why?"

"It's against the code," came the stoic reply. "No woman shall be allowed on a pirate ship."

"But my mother and Anamaria are pirates, and they've come across no trouble! Why would you be any different?"

"No one knows me. I was dishonest and stole aboard under a false name," she answered, staring at the ground.

Sarah chewed her lip thoughtfully. Unfortunately, she had a point. However, she couldn't bear the thought of someone being killed or abandoned because of her nosiness. Perhaps if she turned herself in and told the truth, she would be excused? A hopeful light appeared in her dark eyes and she was about to suggest this, when something else occured to her. What if she was involved somehow with the kidnappers?

Before she lost the courage to do so, Sarah inquired, "Who are you exactly?"

The girl lifted her head to look her in the eye. Her gaze drifted back down slightly. "My name is Anya," she said softly.

Sarah hesitated, not knowing what else to say. At length, she said, "If you wish, I shan't tell anyone else."

Anya looked up, her defeated expression replaced by one of hope. "That would be wonderful!" Then suddenly the light in her eyes dimmed slightly, as though she had just realized something wrong with their plan. "But what if I were discovered by someone else? Would you be considered at fault as well?"

Sarah shrugged, although the idea of being caught was certainly less than appealing to her. She smiled warmly up at Anya. "I'll keep your secret." Then an amused grin spread across her face and she remarked, "It would be far easier if you tucked that strand of hair up under your hat, though." The older girl looked surprised for a moment, then hurriedly tucked the wayward curl up with the rest of her hair and covered her head with the hat. She smiled sheepishly.

"I- I really ought to return to the deck. I'm sure there is more work to be done."

This statement reminded Sarah of her original reason for coming down, and she nodded quickly. "Of course." While Anya scurried off towards the hatch, once more disguised as Jacob, she hastened off to her cabin to fetch her sword.

* * *

><p>The floor creaked beneath Will's feet as he stepped across the threshold of the dark house. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he paused to take in his surroundings. Though there had quite obviously been human activity here relatively recently, hence the lack of dust, whoever lived here was certainly not a good housekeeper. Every dark corner was littered with bits of paper, dust bunnies and cobwebs. None of the members of their little group placed their feet down with much confidence; each feared that the tired old boards might break beneath their weight.<p>

As he began to slowly make his way down the hallway, he began to sorely regret not bringing a light of some kind. He mentally berated himself for failing to bring a torch, but knew all too well that there was nothing he could do about it. He jumped when he felt a light tap on his shoulder, and spun about. He released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding when he saw that it was Elizabeth. She grinned up at him triumphantly and produced a lantern and a small box of matches from the canvas sack she had insisted upon bringing. He smiled gratefully at her as she struck a match and lit the wick, taking the lead. He opened his mouth as if to protest, but bit his tongue. He knew all too well that she hated to be treated with caution, but this certainly did not stop him from worrying about her. On the contrary, it only caused him greater concern, for there were times when he feared she would injure herself or their child in trying to prove that she was not to be treated like a porcelain doll. He would never forgive himself if he allowed any harm to come to his family, especially after being absent for so long.

His musings were interrupted when Elizabeth halted abruptly, turning to face a slightly open doorway. She held a finger to her lips, then motioned for him to follow her.

They found themselves in what appeared to be some sort of office, though they could hardly tell by only the light of the lantern and the sunlight creeping around the edges of the heavy draperies on the windows. Elizabeth promptly went to open the curtains, pulling them back and allowing the sunlight to pour in, though slightly dimmed by the grime on the windows. Will flinched slightly as she did so, half expecting such an action to reveal the kidnapper- or one of the kidnappers- simply waiting to kill them. Fortunately, no such thing happened.

The couple hesitated only briefly before beginning their exploration of the room. Indeed it appeared to be a study of sorts, with a large wooden desk at one wall, littered with hundreds of papers. Behind it was a straight-backed chair, and opposite the desk sat an overstuffed blue armchair, its upholstery stained, threadbare and ripped in places. Elizabeth traced the dusty bookshelves in the back with her index finger. The books haphazardly scattered across it were tattered and worn, clearly having been mistreated. Her eyes shone with tears that did not fall. She desperately hoped that Jonathan had been treated better than everything else in the house. Suddenly, without warning, anger welled up in her, bubbling to the surface in a raging fury. She stomped her foot hard, startling Will, who was examining the papers on the desk. He hurried over to where she stood, tripping over a book lying on the floor in doing so. "What's wrong?"

"Why?" she asked.

His worried expression immediately changed to one of hurt confusion, and he stepped away. "I- I'm sorry. I was just wondering."

She turned to face him, baffled, wondering what she could have said to hurt his feelings. It took her a few moments to realize that he had interpreted her cryptic question as asking why he was worried about her. "Why did they take Jonathan?" she clarified. Despite her anger with their situation, she couldn't help but smile at the relief that surfaced on his face. It only was evident for a moment or so, though, before it was replaced with a solemn grimace.

"I wish I knew," he said quietly.

"Everything here has been mistreated and neglected," she murmured, touching the beaten cover of a novel. "What if..."

She said no more, not wishing to speak the words aloud, but Will's expression told her that he knew exactly what she was thinking, and shared her concerns. What if Jonathan had been mistreated and neglected as well?

Without another word, the two returned to their respective tasks- Elizabeth exploring the side of the room containing the armchair and bookshelves, Will searching the desk for any clues. When they had entered the building, it had swiftly been decided that Jack and Ana would search the foyer and the parlor, while the Turners explored down the hallway. From the study they had already heard an argument, which probably meant that the Sparrows had found something, but did not agree on its relevance to their mission.

After a few minutes of silence, Will spoke up. "Elizabeth," he said, "come here and tell me what you think of this. It's another list, but some of the names don't have dates on this one." Elizabeth carefully set down the book she had been holding, fearing that a mere clumsy mistake would harm the beaten old volume, and walked over to where he stood, examining a paper with great intensity.

Moving to stand beside him, she peered over his shoulder, noting the queer handwriting on the page. It took her only a moment or so to recognize the words as having the same misshapen letters as were scrawled on the back of the map, and her heart skipped a beat. "It has the same handwriting as the note," she murmured, and Will nodded. Never before had the danger of their search been so evident to them. They were exploring the belongings of a dangerous kidnapper, without any right to do so. Gingerly taking the note from him to examine it more closely, she squinted at it, trying to decipher the cramped, nearly illegible writing. When she held it up to the light, however, she found it far easier to read.

"Blue Gull- September 7th  
>Queen's Pride- September 18th<br>Armageddon- September 24th"

As she was pondering what the list could possibly mean, she stopped suddenly, her eyes glued to the last name on the list.

"Black Pearl-"

As Will had said, there was no date written by the ship's name. Wordlessly she turned back to Will, who was patiently waiting for her to finish reading. Knowing her as well as he did, he easily read the urgency in her expression as she handed him the paper. She watched anxiously, biting her lip nervously as he began to read. When he first began glancing over the list, his brow furrowed in confusion. A few seconds later, however, his eyes widened, apparently having spotted the name of the Black Pearl at the end of the list. He apparently had not noticed this when first glancing over the list- it had appeared to be so much like all the others they had seen, only more recently written. Exchanging looks that clearly communicated their mutual shock and concern, they hastened to find Jack and Ana and tell them of their discovery.

* * *

><p><em>Thursday, October 3rd<em>

_Docked at the island_

_Dear Diary,_

_I would have written "Docked at the cay," but that would be inaccurate. This place is far larger than I originally expected. From where I am sitting up in the crow's nest, I can see a strip of sandy beach, leading into a dense jungle. Early this morning my parents and Kristie's parents went ashore to explore. Kristie and I have passed the morning by playing liars dice, talking with some of the friendlier hands, and fencing, but I wish my parents were here. It is now early afternoon, and they have yet to return. I know that to expect them back so soon would be unreasonable, but I do hope they shall be back by nightfall._

_While going below decks to fetch my sword, I discovered something that left me nearly speechless. I do not know how to say it but simply this: Jacob is a girl. I know naught how old, or why she chose to join the crew. Her name is Anya. I swore I would keep her secret, and I hope I can, but twice today I nearly told Kristie by mistake. One of the times was only moments after I had vowed not to tell anyone! I had just climbed back on deck with my sword, and Kristie said, "Took ye long enough. Did ye fall overboard? Ye dried off right quick." I nearly used my discovery as an excuse. Did you know it is against the Code to allow a woman on board? I certainly didn't! I wonder how Mum and Anamaria would react if they learned that. They would probably laugh at it- after all, Anamaria has nearly as much authority on board the Pearl as Uncle Jack, and as I have said before, Mum is Pirate King! I highly doubt they would punish her for wanting to join the crew.  
><em>

_One would think that this would clear up a great number of questions. In all honesty, it does- it explains the hat, possibly the comb, at least some of the shyness, and the neatly folded clothes. However, it does not explain the strange accent, her connection to this mysterious Ivan, her reason for joining the crew, or what the family issues she spoke of were. Or was that merely an excuse? I simply don't know what to think._

_I shall write more soon._

_Always,_

_Sarah Turner_

* * *

><p>"Come here and look at this," Will called out, examining yet another parchment covered in sloppy handwriting. They must have looked at nearly a hundred by now. This particular one bore another list of names, though who these people were remained a mystery to them. Elizabeth appeared beside him momentarily, looking over his shoulder at the list. He indicated one of the names near the bottom of the list: "Sparrow." As had been the trend with all the other lists of seemingly irrelevant names, most of the names on the paper were checked off with a neat "X." However, the Sparrow name, along with a few others, was not.<p>

Across the room, Ana was flipping through yet another tattered book. She had noticed a trend in the scores of volumes she had seen so far- nearly half of them were written in Russian rather than English. Setting the book down where she had found it, she strode over to where the others stood, glancing at the sheet of names. She doubted there was anything of importance there. She had decided as they left the ship this morning that she would not get her hopes up only to have them crushed later on. By this point she was getting quite tired of her job, and was eager to move on to something else. Jack had gone to take a look at the other makeshift huts in the clearing. After seeing the list of ships and dates with his ship's name on it, he had wished to go back to his Pearl, but she had not allowed him to.

Her brow furrowed when she saw her last name scrawled out towards the bottom of the parchment. It occurred to her that it could refer to anyone in their family, and not specifically her youngest son. The name "Sparrow" encompassed herself, Jack, Kristie, and Robert as well as Jonathan. For what must have been the millionth time, she wondered what interest this villain could possibly have in her family. They had never even heard of him! Whatever diabolical plans he might be formulating, what threat could they possibly pose? Was this person simply bent on destroying all good pirates?

Meanwhile, similar thoughts and questions were floating through Elizabeth's head, but she thought of something that Ana failed to realize. Perhaps Ivan wanted the Black Pearl and was using Jonathan as blackmail? Oh, if that were true, she would hate to be the one to tell Jack. He was, in fact, the main reason she had not said this aloud. She had incredibly little confidence in her theory, but knew that if Jack were to hear of it he would practically go into mourning at the thought, or at least as much mourning as anyone had ever seen Jack go into.

Before she could consider this further, however, Robin burst into the room, obviously out of breath. Three heads spun about to face him, wondering what on earth was wrong. "They- they've taken Jack," he panted. "I tried to stop them, I swear, but they were too quick."

He continued blabbering on as the trio sprinted for the door, no longer caring about whether the floor gave in or not. The kidnappers were here, and had discovered them. There was no time to wait for the opportune moment. They knew he would protest, claiming that he could talk his way out of anything- after all, he was Captain Jack Sparrow- If Jack truly was the Sparrow listed here, he might not have much time left.

* * *

><p>Kristie ambled mindlessly across the deck towards the railing, gazing out at the shore. It must be nigh onto four o'clock now; why had her parents not yet returned? It had occurred to her that they may have run into trouble, but Mr. Gibbs said that they were not to go after them until nightfall. Sarah had not exactly been thrilled when she relayed this disappointing information to her, but what could she do about it? It wasn't her fault if the adults had chosen to be reckless. She rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically, glancing again towards Sarah, who was still talking with Jacob. Why was it that suddenly he wished to talk with her? Oh, well. Perhaps this would uncover some of the mysteries that enshrouded him. To be honest, she was rather glad that Sarah was the one talking with him, instead of her. She was convinced that that boy was either crazy or up to no good.<p>

She leaned up against the mast, fiddling with one of her beaded braids. A lot of her time today seemed to be spent waiting for Sarah, she mused.

It was then that something caught her eye, and she turned to look out at the shore below. Her brow furrowed when she saw Robin sprinting down the beach towards the longboat as fast as he possibly could. No one else was in sight. By now Sarah had noticed it too, and had rushed over to the side of the ship, watching wide-eyed as he took one look at the boat, then ran past it, swimming to the ship instead. Someone lowered a length of rope to pull him in, and with the help of Mr. Gibbs and a few other sailors, he was dragged to the rail. The moment his feet touched the boards, he said between gasps, "They... they need... help. Jack has... Jack has been... kidnapped." With that, he promptly collapsed on the deck.

* * *

><p>Robert dropped nimbly down to the dark corridor from the deck, landing on both feet and immediately starting down the hallway towards his cabin to stow his sketchbook there. Mr. Gibbs and seven or eight other crew members had gone ashore to search for the adults. In an unsuccessful attempt to forget about the predicament his parents and Sarah's parents were in, he had just finished a drawing of the shoreline as the sun set. Now, he was actually considering putting those wooden beads from his sister to good use and braiding them into his hair. If he could braid it, that is. It only came to four inches or so above his shoulders at its longest.<p>

As he approached his cabin door, he heard voices from within. His nose crinkled up in confusion. Cautiously, he grasped the handle and slowly opened the door, peering in before entering. Robin lay out on Robert's bed, eyes closed, while Sarah and Kristie stood at the foot of the bed, talking, and Jacob sat in a chair near the head of the bed. He watched curiously as Jacob dipped a rag into a basin of cool water, then pressed it to Robin's forehead. For a moment, it struck him as odd that he, of all people, would be playing doctor, but he decided to ignore that. After all, there were no women aboard as it was, unless you counted Sarah and Kristie, and the poor boy needed someone to look after him. Robert supposed that Jacob was as good as anyone else.

Entering the room, he greeted his friends and put his sketchbook into a small drawer. "How's he doin'?" he asked, indicating the unconscious crew member.

"Better," Sarah said cheerily. "Much better, actually. He's still exhausted from the run, but came to about a half hour ago. He's just sleeping now."

"Good," Robert said simply. "I'm glad." When no one spoke a word, he began to feel rather self- conscious, especially with Sarah in the room. "I- I guess I'd better leave you alone," he muttered, and turned to go.

"Wait!" Sarah called out impulsively. "You needn't go! I mean, it's your room, isn't it? And Robin likes you just fine- stay!"

Robert and Kristie both looked at her as if to say, "Do you mean that?" It was probably the most they had ever looked alike.

Kristie answered for her brother. "I say we all 'ead to the deck an' leave Doctor Jacob to 'is work. Savvy?" Reluctantly, Sarah agreed that this would be best, and they all traipsed out of the room, wishing Jacob good luck.

As Robert scrambled out onto the deck, Kristie stopped. Sarah, too, stopped, wondering what was wrong now. Kristie glared at her. "What?" she asked. "Why are you looking at me like that?" She was thoroughly baffled.

"Ye know why," Kristie declared.

"I beg to differ," Sarah retorted.

"Ye like 'im, don't ye?"

"Who, Jacob?" Sarah asked, her face conveying her disgust at such a notion.

"Robert."

"What makes you say that?"

"It's pretty obvious," Kristie said, smirking. She wouldn't admit it, but she honestly didn't know what made her suspect that. Before Sarah could question her further, she spun on her heel, striding off towards the hatch.

Sarah shook her head in exasperation, and followed along behind.

* * *

><p>(AN:) I know I said I was going to have Robin and Robert get to know each other, but I changed my mind about how I was going to set everything up. That's probably going to be in chapter eleven or twelve. I'm sorry it took so long to post this one- I meant to do so on Friday, but I couldn't log in. Then all weekend long I was at Disciple Now- which, by the way, was _amazing- _and couldn't use my computer. Hope it was worth the wait! :)


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: The Pirates of the Carribean aren't mine. They just happened to wander into my story, and decided they liked it well enough. So I hope you don't mind that they decided to stick around for a while. Feel free to keep an eye on 'em.

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><p>Robin's eyes fluttered open as he slowly became aware of his surroundings. The last thing he remembered was running. He had been on some urgent mission. What was it again? Oh, yes. He had been told to inform those aboard the <em>Pearl<em> of Jack's capture. Now he was resting on a cot in a cabin he had never seen. Jacob sat on a rough wooden chair beside him, his head resting in his hands. At first it struck him as odd. He had never before heard of a teenage pirate acting as nurse. It occurred to him after a few moments, however, that he was probably the most qualified person on board to take over the odious task of nursing him back to health. Suddenly he felt a pang of guilt as he realized the poor boy had likely remained at his bedside to care for him for- how long had he been unconscious?- watching over him and caring for him. Why? Such a kind gesture certainly was not necessary. He moved to prop himself up on his elbow, and was met with a protesting ache in his head. He groaned involuntarily, leaning back.

As he was thinking that he really should thank Jacob for his help, the boy jumped, as though suddenly startled from his sleep. Robin turned his head to look at him.

"Are you- are you all right?" the boy asked his patient.

"I think so," Robin said, stretching his sore neck. "How long have I been here?"

"A few hours, perhaps."

"Please tell me you haven't been here the entire time."

Jacob nodded shyly. "I wanted to be sure you- I mean, everyone else was busy," he stuttered.

"Well, thank you very much. I appreciate it."

"You're welcome." The boy smiled shyly. "You fell pretty hard," he pointed out, his eyes twinkling slightly beneath the wide brim of his hat. Why was he still wearing his hat? It was quite dim in here.

"I fell? When?"

"As soon as you told us about Jack- you passed out on the deck right then and there."

"Oh." He could think of nothing else to say at the moment. He noticed now that there were relatively clean strips of cloth bound neatly around his forearms, serving as bandages for the cuts he had received when racing through the tangled undergrowth. "Have you heard word of Jack?" he asked anxiously, attempting once again to sit up.

Jacob reached out impulsively and gently eased Robin back down to the pillow, not wishing for him to injure himself. "No, I haven't. I'm sorry. You- you need to be careful."

Robin sighed in exasperation. "When can I get up? I feel so helpless."

Jacob smiled. "You're far from worthless. If it weren't for you- I mean, if Will hadn't sent you, who knows what would have become of Jack? Sleep," he urged him. "You've had a rough day."

As Robin allowed his head to fall back upon the thin pillow and his eyes to drift closed, he was completely oblivious to the shy smile his caretaker graced him with.

* * *

><p>The dirt floor was cold in the cellar, as were the shackles that bound Jack's wrists and ankles and the musty air. He rested dejectedly against the ramshackle stone wall, facing the closed door. Something, perhaps a spider, scuttled over his shin, and he quickly flicked it away. He could see nothing; with the sunlight blocked almost completely by the wooden trapdoor, the room was cloaked in empty darkness. For all he knew, another human could be somewhere in the room with him. For that matter, Jonathan could be within twenty feet of him and he would not know it. Upon being locked in the room, he had thrashed about for a good long while, thinking that perhaps the chains that bound him were weak and could be loosened, but to no avail. When he finally managed to stand up, he had proceeded to hop over in a rather undignified manner to where he assumed the door was, and felt around for some sort of tool that might be used to free his hands. However, all he managed to do was slam his forehead quite painfully into the slanted wooden door. Though he racked his brain, he simply could not invent a clever escape plan, no matter how well he could usually do so. Now he simply sat in the dirt, clinging to the meager hope that maybe, just maybe, one of his comrades knew what had happened and had sent for help.<p>

He had been simply strolling about the clearing, examining the odd little huts strewn about the area, when he had heard a woman's shrill, piercing scream. Before he could react, two armed men emerged from one of the other huts, obviously having heard the cry and coming to respond. He did not know what had frightened the screamer, but cursed her for ruining his day. For though he dove behind a tree at the edge of the clearing as fast as he could, as soon as they turned the corner and began making their way towards the source of the noise, he was caught. The larger of the pair had proceeded to close in on him swiftly, successfully capturing him and locking him in this disgusting cellar. And they had taken his hat and affects! That was just wrong.

After what seemed like an eternity, he heard voices from outside. He cocked his head and scooted closer, straining his ears to hear.

"I think he's in there." This first voice was soft, with a strong accent that was somehow familiar and almost soothing.

"How do you know?" The second speaker was decidedly female, and even more familiar. He pondered this for a moment, before it struck him. Elizabeth? Yes! And the first voice had been Will, it had to be.

"Oh," he heard Elizabeth say. Oh, what? He sighed. Elizabeth was such a puzzle sometimes, even when he couldn't see her.

He jumped slightly when the door rattled, apparently being shaken from the opposite side. He glanced around, wishing he could see, and settled into a more comfortable position, hoping he could find some way to appear less helpless when they got to him.

* * *

><p>Will sighed. "Does anyone here know how to pick a lock?" He glanced around imploringly. It must have been seven o'clock by now, and twilight blanketed the island, dimming everyone's vision.<p>

Pintel raised a hand. "I know 'ow," he piped up. He and Ragetti had come after seeing Robin race by, not wishing to be caught alone.

Elizabeth stared at him, amazed. Of all people, Pintel knew how? She was astounded. She stepped back from her place beside Will, gesturing towards the door. "Be my guest," she said.

"I- I 'ave need o' a hairpin," he said awkwardly. "To open the lock, I mean."

Ana and Elizabeth exchanged looks, then turned back to Pintel, apologetic expressions adorning their faces. Elizabeth bit her lip, examining the stubborn padlock while ruminating on how to proceed. After just a few moments, she looked up and cast a nervous glance about, all too aware of the fact that this place was inhabited and not wishing to be caught. The mysterious woman's scream and the men who had captured Jack had proven that. Suddenly she snapped back to reality, a possibility occurring to her. It had decidedly been a woman who had screamed those few hours ago. Perhaps there would be a hairpin somewhere around her cabin? She knew the idea was crazy, but anything was worth a try. It simply wouldn't do to have two Sparrows captured.

Without a word to her companions, she began walking briskly towards the cabin nearest the entrance to the clearing, where she thought the scream had come from. A moment later, Ana appeared at her side. "Where on Earth are ye goin'?" she asked, baffled.

"To the cabin where we heard the scream. When she screamed, they went to take her somewhere else, and there is no way that place fits more than one person."

"Elizabeth-" Will began, concern blatantly obvious on his features, as he took a step towards her.

"I'll be fine," she said reassuringly.

"Why?" Ana asked.

Elizabeth did not answer, but simply fixed her friend with a look that said, 'Figure it out yourself.'

"Oh, yer tryin' to find a hairpin?"

Elizabeth nodded. As they came to about halfway to their destination, Pintel called out to them, "Don' forget, it's got ter be one like Kristie uses!"

* * *

><p>"If ye keep that up, yer gonna wear a hole in the deck."<p>

Sarah paused in her endless pacing to look at her friend, who sat on the floor with her map, tracing out yet another route to China. "I doubt it," she drawled.

"Why are ye so nervous, anyhow?"

"Why aren't you? It's _your _father who's been captured! Do you not care if he's safe or not?" She regretted the words the instant she spoke them. Pirate or not, Kristie certainly cared about her family, and her words must have stung, especially with both Jack and Jonathan missing. What's more, Ana was in danger as well. "I mean, I know you care, but you don't act like it- I didn't mean to imply that you-"

"S' all right," Kristie said softly, staring at the floor. Sarah bit her lip, angry with herself for lashing out so, when she noticed that her friend was trying hard not to cry. "I know ye didn't mean it." The mischievous gleam was absent from her black eyes, replaced by the shine of tears that did not fall. Sarah dropped to her knees beside her friend and pulled her into an embrace. Though she had half expected the girl to pull away, Kristie hesitated a moment, then returned the embrace, resting her head on her shoulder. Sarah wondered how often her friend fought to hold back her tears, wanting to be tough.

Kristie allowed herself to rest her head on Sarah's shoulder for a minute or so as a few tears slipped down her cheeks, before deciding that it was best to stop. If she was honest with herself she was quite tired, and it would be mortifying to fall asleep like this. After all, it was nearly dark. She abruptly pulled back, drawing her knees up to her chest and resting her chin atop them.

Sarah opened her mouth as if to speak some words of comfort, but stopped, her mind refusing to grant her the right words. It was at that moment that Anya, still disguised as Jacob, called her name. She turned to see the girl standing on the ladder leading below decks, her head peeking out of the hatch, motioning for Sarah to come below. With one last sad look at Kristie, she hastened down to the corridor.

"Is everything all right?" she asked upon finding Anya standing outside Robert's cabin door.

"I- I don't know," she confessed, the phony voice dropped, leaving the voice of a girl with an odd accent. In reply to Sarah's inquiring expression, she said, "Robin has been talking in his sleep."

When she did not elaborate on this after a few moments, Sarah asked somewhat impatiently, "About what?"

"About something he saw on the island- near where Captain Sparrow was captured. I believe he was talking about a conversation he heard. He said something about a- a plot of some kind. I don't know what."

"Is he still asleep?" Sarah asked, not wanting to think that Anya had abandoned the chance to learn more.

"No, he woke up thirsty a few minutes ago. But as soon as he's done I think he'll fall asleep again. Shall I tell you anything more I learn?"

"Please do!"

"Would- would you like to come in with me?"

Sarah turned this possibility over in her mind, eventually coming to the decision that it would be best. She did not yet fully trust this girl, and to hear Robin's murmurings firsthand would provide ample proof. She nodded.

"I'll go in and make sure he's asleep."

Another nod. Sarah twiddled her thumbs anxiously as Anya opened the door painstakingly slowly, not wishing to awaken the boy if he had indeed fallen asleep. Peering around at the cot in the corner of the miniscule room, the older girl signaled for Sarah to enter the room. She did so silently, moving to stand at the foot of the bed. Upon taking in the sight of him, however, she began to wonder if such caution was fully necessary. He was buried under the blanket, his auburn curls strewn about his head, which peeked out from the edge of the covers. She almost giggled when he snored slightly, but she remained silent.

For a few minutes he did nothing but snore, and Sarah began to question whether it had been worth it to come in here. But after about a quarter hour, he began muttering to himself again.

"Got to... Sparrow... stop plot... can't let.. die." Sarah's breath caught in her throat. It seemed that he had overheard some sort of conspiracy that planned to do away with her Uncle Jack. What had Jonathan been, then? Had his capture simply been bait? Wide-eyed, she looked to Anya as if the older girl would have the answers to her questions. Sensing Sarah's eyes upon her, she looked up. In response to the quizzical expression gracing her features, she simply shrugged. She knew even less about this whole situation than Sarah did. Or did she?

* * *

><p>Elizabeth leaned in closer to the wall as she inched around the back of the hut. She paused, checking to see if there was some sort of window through which she could peek, and Anamaria nearly ran into her. Elizabeth turned around for a moment, mouthing an apology, which Ana just brushed off.<p>

Creeping around to the door at a painstakingly slow pace, Elizabeth ducked skillfully into the security of a shadow. Her eyes roved the sand around the makeshift door while her heart pounded inside her chest. Though she saw nothing, it occurred to her that there was a gentle light emanating from within the hut, and she sprang away from the door, running into poor Ana yet again.

"Watch it!" Ana whispered. "That's the third time in four minutes!"

Elizabeth quickly shushed her friend, pulling her away from the hut. "We have to find another way to pick the lock," she stated. "The obviously didn't take her away from there, because that place is not empty."

They darted back to the cellar door, trying their best to remain hidden in the shadows. When they emerged from the trees beside the cellar, the first thing they noticed was that Will wasn't there. Elizabeth's eyes widened, and she looked around in a panic. Where had he gone? It only took a few moments, however, to locate him, and her worry quickly turned to amusement. He stood as far from the cellar door as possible, just barely concealed in the darkness, looking anxiously at the hut from which they had just fled. His hand rested at the hilt of his sword as though ready to charge in and save Elizabeth if needed. The two women exchanged amused looks.

Wordlessly, Elizabeth tiptoed up behind her husband, taking extreme caution in every step, determined not to be heard. As she got closer, she began to question the wisdom of sneaking up on him like this- no, she had come this far, and she intended to finish the job. When he was merely an arm's length away, she reached out and clamped a hand over his mouth from behind. "You're not going anywhere, Mr. Turner," she whispered.

When she released him a moment later, he turned to face her, a sheepish look on his face. "Uh- did you find a hairpin?" he asked awkwardly.

Elizabeth shook her head and pulled him back over to where Ana stood. Once more provided with a sense of security, she whispered, "That hut isn't empty, Will. Someone's in there."

"Who?"

"I don't know. I just saw candlelight and movement."

He nodded, glancing nervously in the direction of the apparently occupied shelter. Turning back to her, he said softly, "I suppose the best thing we can do is have one of us return to the Pearl and fetch one of Sarah's while the other two stay here."

"Right. There's no sense in having all of us stay here and not accomplish anything."

Will nodded, his gaze wandering to the pale crescent moon above them. The two remained silent for a time, each lost in their own thoughts. They were both startled out of their reverie, however, by a rustling sound- footsteps. Instinctively, they whirled towards the source of the sound. When they saw nothing, they exchanged panicked looks and sprinted for cover as quickly as they could without making noise. As she passed the cellar door, she grabbed Ana, who had been talking to Jack through the cellar door, pulling her along behind them as they dashed towards the shelter of a large boulder about thirty feet away.

It occurred to Ana as she was crouching behind the rock that they had neglected to collect Pintel and Ragetti, and peered around, trying to locate the duo, but was stopped in her search by Elizabeth pulling her back down into the shadows. "I'm lookin' fer Pintel an' Ragetti!" she hissed.

Now it was Elizabeth's turn to glance around in search of the pair, but to no avail. Another rustling noise in the leaves was heard, and she ducked swiftly back down between Will and Ana. "I don't see them either," she whispered, barely audible. Though they could be irritating at times, all three truly did care for the mischievous pirates, and would be heartbroken if anything happened to them.

They were worrying about the wrong thing, however, as proven when the aforementioned two came sprinting towards them as fast as they could, running from someone- or something- that their companions could not see. Their first reaction was relief at the fact that they had been found. Their second reaction was alarm. What were they running from?

Elizabeth stood to see what it might be. After all, if they had been the footsteps she'd heard, they no longer needed to hide from someone across the clearing. Pintel and Ragetti both ran to the boulder, Ragetti promptly tripping over a branch and falling to the ground. Pintel muttered something under his breath as his friend scrambled to his hands and knees, cowering behind him. Both glared up at Elizabeth and Ana, who had stood as well, when they laughed just a moment later, but soon saw that there was good reason when the mangy grey tomcat strutted out into a patch of moonlight, tail twitching in annoyance.

"I think you can come out now," Will chuckled.

"You!" Five heads simultaneously turned in the direction of the angry shout, finding two armed guards advancing towards them across the clearing at a startlingly rapid pace, guns aimed and ready to fire at a moment's notice.

"Um," Will began uneasily, quickly glancing around at his surroundings, appraising his chances of survival.

Elizabeth did not hesitate to voice her expert opinion on the situation at hand: "Run."

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><p>Anya's eyes fluttered open at the sound of Kristie and Sarah arguing in the hallway again. She mentally berated herself for allowing herself to doze off, and quickly looked over at Robin to see how he was doing. She found him awake, looking at her rather curiously. "Are you all right?" she asked softly, almost forgetting to use her fake voice. It hurt her throat after a while, and could be quite a hassle.<p>

"Yes, thank you," he replied somewhat distantly, still staring at her with that odd expression. It was beginning to make her feel uncomfortable.

"You look- I mean, you don't look quite well," she said, trailing off as something occurred to her. Her eyes widened in panic, and her gaze dropped to the ground, where her hat and hair tie had evidently fallen while she slept. "Oh no," she breathed. She buried her face in her hands. First Sarah, now Robin- she was terrible at keeping this secret. She really should just cut her hair. She heard the old mattress groan as he moved, but could not bear to face him right now. As frustrated, shameful tears came to her eyes and her nose hurt with the effort of holding them back, she realized that someone was touching the hair that had fallen about her face, pulling it back. Forcing herself to regain her composure, she turned to face Robin, expecting to be met with shock, confusion, and anger. She was surprised, however, to find a look of curiosity and- was that respect? He gently tucked a stray curl behind her ear.

"I was right," he murmured, his hand falling back to his lap.

"You knew?" She couldn't help but think to herself that this conversation was becoming incredibly familiar.

"I didn't know, but I guessed," he admitted.

"Oh."

"If- if you don't mind," he said awkwardly, "Who- um, what's your name?"

She eyed him warily. As much as she liked him, she was reluctant to grant anyone that information. "Why do you need to know?" she asked. She regretted her words immediately when she saw the hurt that surfaced on his face. Of course he meant no harm. Why would he? "I'm sorry," she quickly said. "I- I'm just- shy, I suppose."

"It's all right," he said reassuringly, smiling warmly at her, and her heart skipped a beat. "I understand if you don't want to tell me."

"No, I want to- I mean, I don't mind. My name is Anya."

He nodded. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but was silenced by a knock at the door. Anya sprang out of her chair, scrambling to replace her disguise. Robin attempted to jump up and help her, but promptly sat back down, overwhelmed by the shooting pain in his head. "Come in!" the girl called, out of breath, using Jacob's voice once more. Robert walked in carrying his sketchpad, his brow furrowed. "Is something wrong?" he asked slowly.

"No, nothing is wrong. Everything is just fine," Anya said cheerily, to which the young boy nodded skeptically.

He tucked the book into the miniscule trunk at the foot of his bed, then left, shaking his head in bewilderment.

* * *

><p>(AN:) Sorry it took me so long to post this.. life gets in the way of itself, doesn't it? Every day is like a tent- it just doesn't fit into the container it's supposed to!

Hope you guys liked it! :)


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah. Pirates of the Caribbean = not mine. But if you know a way to change that... lemme know.

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><p>Elizabeth huddled in the tiny, damp cave where they had taken shelter, shivering in the cold. She wished there was some way she could obtain a blanket or jacket, but knew there was none. Who knew it could be so cold in the Caribbean? By now it was the middle of the night, and she, Will, Ana, Pintel and Ragetti were camped out in the shadowed security of a small cavern. They had run from the two men for several minutes along back roads that crisscrossed about the island, leading to various buildings and such, before darting into the forest and finally managing to shake off their pursuers. Tireless Ana had insisted that they must return and continue their search for Jack as soon as the coast was clear, but upon seeing how exhausted Elizabeth was, she reluctantly agreed that it was best to find shelter.<p>

Not wanting to be viewed as the weak one of the group, Elizabeth had insisted upon taking her turn keeping watch, and now was doing just that. The slightly selfish part of her wished she had allowed herself to be excused from this duty, but she took comfort in the knowledge that she had no more than a half hour left before she could wake Ana and go back to sleep.

Sighing, she rested up against the cold stone side of the cavern, gazing blankly forwards. Her hand involuntarily came to rest on her stomach, as if to protect her unborn child. If the size of the baby was anything to go by, she was much further along in her pregnancy than she had originally thought. Knowing this, she felt even guiltier about coming along on this trip. Why was she so impulsive sometimes? She simply couldn't help it. The moment she tried to take a break from the nonstop action that was her everyday life, she immediately felt restless, and longed for adventure and excitement. It was a miracle that she had been rescued from a proper marriage to James Norrington, for there was no way she could have survived the restraints of society.

As she was thinking over this, she felt something warm wrap around her shoulders, instantly providing relief from the cold night air. She turned about quickly, wondering what it was, and found Will wordlessly tucking his jacket around her. "You looked cold," he said simply.

"Thank you," she said softly, smiling warmly at him. "What woke you?"

"I couldn't sleep," he admitted. "Too much on my mind, I guess."

"I can't blame you. I'm just so worried about Jonathan." She smiled wryly. "I suppose I'm a little worried about Jack, too, for once in my life."

"Twice," Will corrected bemusedly. "Remember World's End?"

Elizabeth grimaced. "I try not to. I still feel incredibly guilty when I do."

"Don't be. You did what you thought was best, and everything worked out in the end, did it not?"

"True," she conceded. "But still I can't help but think there must have been a better way- and about how much time we wasted-" she trailed off, her brow creased by the pain of the memory.

Hating to see her upset, Will gently pulled her into a warm embrace. She smiled slightly and allowed her tense muscles to relax. "I didn't know you had seen," she said, staring pensively out into the dark sky. It was a beautiful night. Stars were scattered across the vast reaches of space in brilliant splendor, like glittering diamonds strewn over a black velvet cloth. "I thought that if you did, you had seen what I did to Jack. I can't even imagine what you must have thought of me."

Will sighed, involuntarily holding her closer. "I- I guess I really didn't know what I felt. I thought perhaps I had done something to upset you, or that maybe you felt sorry for me and had loved Jack all along- I don't know."

"Well, none of that was true, and what really matters is that we're here together now," she replied with finality, not wishing to relive that difficult time.

"I love you," Will murmured.

Amused, Elizabeth inquired, "Is that so? What brought this on?"

He shrugged. "I haven't told you yet today."

"True," she said with a smile. "How very remiss of you. Well, I love you too, even if you are forgetful sometimes."

Before Will could reply, they were cut off by an exasperated groan from behind them. "Lovely," Ana sighed. "At it again. Keep it down, would ya? I wanna get as much sleep as I can, and ye aren't helpin'."

Grinning, Elizabeth turned to face her friend. "Two heads are better than one," she quipped. Ana muttered something under her breath that Elizabeth could not make out from where she was sitting.

As everyone was settling back down, they heard a strange noise nearby, and all three froze. As they continued to listen, they heard voices as well, speaking in another language, probably Russian. Ana woke Pintel and Ragetti, silencing them swiftly before they could inquire about the reason for their being disturbed. "We gotta move out," she hissed, and the others obliged quickly and willingly. They followed Ana on hands and knees through the undergrowth that covered the side of the cave, leading around and out of sight of the Russian scouts. Upon reaching what seemed to be relatively safe ground, they sprinted away.

Several minutes of hard running later, they found themselves back on one of the paths they had followed earlier that night. "We- we have to get back- to the ship," Ana announced.

"Wot about Cap'n Jack?" Pintel protested.

"Well, we aren't going to be of much help to him this way, now, are we?" Elizabeth said ruefully.

"They're right," Will agreed. After a moment's pause, he pointed out, "Jacob said he knew his way around the area. He might prove to be a great help."

"What's more, we hardly have any provisions left," Elizabeth continued. "But what if something happens while we're gone?" No one replied to this; all silently began to weigh their options. Biting her lower lip, Elizabeth suggested, "What if Will and I returned, while Ana, Pintel and Ragetti stay here?"

All agreed that this would probably be best, and the Turners began the cautious trek back to the Pearl.

* * *

><p>"I will do my best," Jacob said earnestly.<p>

"That's a good boy," Mr. Gibbs said jovially, clapping the boy on the shoulder. He had been awakened from a fitful slumber and told that his navigational skills were needed immediately. When he had been awakened, he had still been fully dressed, to the point of still having his hat on, and was ready to return with Will within two minutes.

Elizabeth had reluctantly agreed that she had best remain here and get at least some sleep before plunging back into the perils of the adventure taking place on the island, so Will would accompany Jacob back to the enemy camp.

"Get some rest," Will said softly, hugging Elizabeth before she went below decks.

Elizabeth grinned, returning the embrace. "I will. Go ahead save the day without me," she said teasingly. "And don't you dare die on me again," she added in a far more serious tone.

"I won't, I promise."

As the hatch fell closed behind her, Will strode back to the longboat, climbing in and expertly preparing to lower it into the water. Jacob climbed in behind him, appearing slightly distraught. He carried a worn sack with him, containing four threadbare woolen blankets and assorted other supplies. Will, too, toted a bag containing food and a few spare weapons, all bound neatly in spare sailcloth. In his pocket he carried two of Sarah's hairpins, so as to pry open the lock- that is, if they ever got the chance to do so. They knew naught of how long this expedition might last, and had done their best to carry the proper provisions while still packing as little as possible. Their food consisted mainly of hard, dry bread, and for weapons they would mostly use their own swords.

* * *

><p>Anya tried to keep herself from shivering as she sat opposite Will in the longboat, rowing to shore. While she knew her way around the island far better than any of her shipmates, she still had not been here in a long time. She only hoped she did not let anyone down. While Will told her about the events of the past sixteen hours, she felt as though she was aging faster and faster by the moment. At only nineteen years old, she felt as though she bore the weight of her world on her shoulders- which she essentially did. Not only did her new friends rely heavily on her, there were others who did as well, and she could share her burden with no one. No, she couldn't keep thinking like this. She would simply have to do her best and keep going no matter what.<p>

Oh, but the words "easier said than done" never rang so true.

When the bottom of the boat scraped along the beginnings of the sandy beach, Will leaped over to the side, easily pulling it in while she scrambled out and helped as best she could. No conversation took place as they tied the boat to a scraggly tree and hastened down the path. It occurred to her that she would have to try even harder to keep her hat on- it had fallen off so easily when she was asleep earlier that day. She bit her lip, hoping desperately that she would not accidentally reveal her identity to Will as well, though she would certainly rather be discovered by him than by someone like Mr. Gibbs. Sarah was very much like her father; they both were very kind and quiet, and neither could stand to see their friends upset. She wondered- was she considered a friend?

After about fifteen minutes of walking in silence, they reached the first moonlit clearing, and an icy chill ran down Anya's spine, terror gripping her mind and heart like an ice-cold vice. The memories this place brought wreaked havoc on any form of confidence she might have had before arriving here. She could not repeat the mistakes made the last time she was here. She could not allow it. Squaring her shoulders, she gritted her teeth to prevent them from chattering, and strode into the second tunnel.

She refused to fail again.

With this determined thought as her mantra, she continued to follow Will through the all-too-familiar paths, until suddenly he stopped. From where they stood, they could see the second clearing.

"Do you know your way around this island?" Will whispered.

"Somewhat," she replied uneasily.

"Do you know where the mill is?"

She hesitated, trying to visualize the route to his requested destination, before answering. "Yes, sir."

"I'm Will, not sir," he corrected her, smiling slightly. Then he stepped to the side, motioning for her to lead the way.

* * *

><p><em>Friday, October 4th<em>

_Dear Diary,_

_Oh, what have I done? If only I had refused to go ashore in Tortuga, none of this would be happening. Uncle Jack has been captured too, Robin is hurt, Anya is in danger, and no matter what people tell me, I know deep down inside that it's my fault. Kristie feels so very guilty as well, but it doesn't seem to affect her as much as it does me, which, despite the fact that I know she is truly sick with worry, makes me frustrated. On the other hand, I've never seen Robert in such a state. Since his room is next to ours, I can hear him tossing and turning into the wee hours of the morning, and I feel even guiltier. After all, I helped Kristie convince him to come along. The worst thing about this is that I feel so useless. We mustn't go ashore, so we must rely on those who return to the Pearl for any information regarding our families. My mother returned late last night- or would it be considered early this morning?- with my father to fetch Anya. Since she knows her way around the island for some unknown reason, they decided she would be of great help to them. I wonder if she knows Jonathan's kidnappers, or worse, is involved with them? Something inside me tells me I shouldn't trust her, but I want to believe she is on our side._

_The crew members have been just wonderful- they're always willing to try to cheer us up, no matter how pointless such an endeavor may be. Mack McCready, one of the other new crew members, has been surprisingly friendly to us, and I feel guilty for being so uneasy about him when I first met him. Despite his intimidating appearance, only made worse by the cloth covering his face, he seems to be very kind. He tells us all sorts of stories from his life at sea, and is the only person who has succeeded in making Robert laugh._

_Oh, before I forget- Kristie accused me of being in love with Robert. What would make her say such a thing? I did not deny it, because I don't know if that would be honest. I don't know what it's like to be in love, so I don't know what I feel for him. Besides, he's the only boy my age that I know. I admit I feel very embarrassed when I make an error in front of him, and that I want to spend time with him but am jittery when I do- is it not like that with any boy? I don't know. All I know about that kind of love comes from observing my parents and Kristie's parents. I don't know what to think of this. I want to talk to someone, but who? Anya, perhaps, but she has gone ashore as well. I think I could tell Robin, but I don't know. Normally I would ask Kristie about this, but I have no doubt she would tease me mercilessly. Besides, I don't want to trouble her with such things when she is already so worried. Though she tries so very hard to maintain her strong, tough front, I know she is hurting, and it breaks my heart. The mischievous sparkle is gone from her eyes, and I miss it. I feel like I should be helping somehow, but I can't. What should I do?_

_Always,_

_Sarah Turner_

* * *

><p>The crisp, fresh morning air felt heavenly on Robin's skin as he walked across the deck. His head was feeling much better today, and the purple lump his fall had left on the left side of his forehead, while still very sensitive, no longer throbbed when he so much as sat up. But his thoughts did not involve his injuries. Rather, he was still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that "Jacob" had been merely a disguise. He was utterly amazed; he would not have believed such a thing possible had he not seen the real Anya with his own eyes. He had awakened to the sound of voices directly overhead. It had been Kristie and Sarah arguing over something to do with Kristie's family being in danger and someone not caring, but he had heard nothing more. Upon recognizing their voices, he had buried his face in the pillow in exasperation. When suddenly they fell silent, he thought to see if Jacob was still at his bedside, and if he was, to ask him if he knew what was going on. He had been more shocked than he ever had in his life when he saw the beautiful girl sitting in his place, her dark curls falling messily about her face as she dozed. It took him a moment to realize that this was not some stranger, but in fact was Jacob, the "boy" who had taken care of his injuries. He had been so shocked that for nearly ten minutes he could do nothing but stare in amazement. Once or twice he nearly got up the courage to get up and move to where he could get a better view of her face, but did not dare to wake her up and immediately hated himself for considering such a thing. This girl had spent approximately fourteen hours at his bedside, nursing him back to health, and he would dare to disturb her when she finally allowed herself to sleep? He could have slapped himself, he felt so guilty. It occurred to him now that there was no logical reason for the duty of caring for him to fall completely to her. Why had she done it?<p>

He sighed in frustration as he stared out over the rail to the shore. What concerned him even more was the fact that Anya had been sent to shore with Will because of her alleged knowledge of the island's twisting paths. He wondered if they would have sent her ashore if they knew her true identity? He was afraid that she might be hurt somehow; after all, she was only a young girl. He estimated her to be a year or so younger than he; perhaps eighteen or nineteen. Unfortunately, it was this same fear for her welfare that kept him from telling others the truth. For one, he could not bear to lose her trust. She would undoubtedly be furious with him if he told her secret. What's more, this information had the potential to endanger her greatly. He knew the code. No women were technically allowed aboard any pirate vessel. This could be overlooked easily, considering the presence of Elizabeth, Ana, Sarah and Kristie, but how would they react considering that she had lied to them? Come to think of it, he knew he had every right to be angry with her as well. Mr. Gibbs had gone ashore shortly after he fell unconscious in search of Jack, but who knew what more trouble had arisen since then? He let his face fall to his hands, resting his elbows against the weathered wood of the railing, and prayed desperately that she would somehow remain safe.

* * *

><p>Ana felt as though the pounding of her heart could be heard from the far reaches of the island as she crawled to the side of the slanted door, hairpin in hand, behind Pintel. He bumped into an empty crate in front of the cellar, and her heart skipped a beat in a moment of panic. "Shh!" she hissed, glaring at him as she shoved the hairpin at him. By the time Will had arrived with Jacob and the tools, daylight had destroyed their hiding places, and they were forced to retreat to their cave and wait for night to fall to come and rescue their friend.<p>

"Awright, awright," he muttered, jabbing at the keyhole moodily with the pin, then removing it and bending the tip slightly. Ana turned towards the clearing to watch for danger, as well as to refrain from yelling at the clumsy old pirate. Her eyes darted nervously back and forth across the open space, daring someone to keep them from freeing Jack. When she heard a distinct clicking noise and realized the padlock was open, a satisfied smirk replaced the steely-eyed stare on her face as she turned to the door. Now for her job. Her pulse quickened as she grasped the brittle wood at the corner of one door, peeling it back ever so slowly, just far enough to allow one person through. Pintel held the door ajar for her while she crawled around to where she could peek inside. Grabbing the lantern she had found and lighting it with a stolen match, she wrapped her bandanna securely around the it, allowing just one side to emit light. Heart pounding in trepidation, she lowered the light to the door, peering inside. The sight that met her eyes nearly caused her to laugh.

Jack had originally worn only cuffs for his hands and feet, bound together so he could not stand upright. All around him, displaced dust and dirt evidenced a struggle. Evidently, he had only succeeded in moving so that his hands and feet were tied behind him. Two curving tracks- knee prints, she could only assume- led to the door and back again. She noted with a grimace that they had taken his affects. Now they would probably have to spend extra time here to retrieve them.

"Jack," she whispered loudly. When he did not respond, she whispered his name again, louder this time, but still there was no response. Her eyes widened in fear- he couldn't be dead. Nothing could honestly kill Captain Jack Sparrow, could it? "Jack!" This time she spoke his name much louder, abandoning the plan of whispering entirely. Relief flooded her when he sprang awkwardly to his knees, staring up at her with some unidentified expression on his face.

"Anamaria! Took ye long enough," he remarked.

She wanted to smile, glad that he was still the same old Jack, but refrained. "Ye could've rescued yerself," she retorted. "After all, ye are Captain Jack Sparrow." As she spoke, she motioned for Pintel to keep holding the door and dropped into the miniscule cellar, armed with another hairpin and instructions on how to use it.

He paused before replying. "I figgered if ye came to rescue me, ye'd be worried that somethin' happened to me."

"Ah," she said, beginning to work on the handcuffs. "And what of yer tangled-up chains 'ere?"

"Cruel, aren't they?"

She regarded him skeptically, but said nothing, pulling him to his feet and hastening back to the door. They could not be caught.

They climbed cautiously out of the little room, being certain to remain well within the security of the shadows, and crawled back to that same rock where they had hidden earlier. However, before they could settle down and discuss what to do next with Will and Jacob, they noticed Ragetti's eyes grow wide with terror. "Wot is it, a cat?" Pintel sneered.

Ragetti shook his head vehemently, pointing at the shadow of a man walking towards them on one of the paths at an achingly slow pace, apparently a night guard out on patrol. Jacob glanced around anxiously, looking for a hiding place one could only assume, but as far as Ana could tell, there was nowhere to go. She began crawling towards a stand of trees about thirty feet or so behind them, but Jacob reached out and grasped her arm, shaking his head. She looked at him as though he was crazy. That man was about to catch them, and he wouldn't let her seek out shelter? But then he proceeded to crawl around the boulder about a quarter of the way, brushing some leaves out of the way and moving a thin, oval-shaped stone away, and revealing a tunnel. He glanced nervously about, then beckoned to his friends to follow him, and crawled into the space. Skeptically, Ana and Jack followed, then Will, and finally Pintel and Ragetti, the latter having grown even more nervous by the second and now utterly terrified.

The tunnel was much larger than it appeared, and grew far wider as you crawled into it. Though a bit snug, it fit all six of its occupants shockingly well. Ana stared at Jacob incredulously, wondering how it was that he would know such a thing. She was endlessly grateful for this space at the moment, but she could not help but wonder how on Earth the boy would know of secret passageways and hideaways. It was all very curious. Ana looked to the boy questioningly, but he diverted his eyes and turned to the entrance.

He deftly flipped the stone back over the entrance, effectively sealing them and blocking out the light. Luckily, after a half a minute or so of fumbling in the canvas sack, Will lit a lantern, lighting up the room. He then reached up and pushed the rock slightly to one side and placing the lantern beneath the tiny opening this produced.

It didn't take long for Jacob, Pintel and Ragetti to fall asleep, and Will began idly counting the matches over and over, lining them up in various patterns and such. Anamaria flung her arms around Jack's neck. She embraced him for a few moments, then promptly pulled back and glared at him. "Don't run off like that again!" she whispered fiercely, her dark eyes clearly showing that she meant it. Then she hugged him again, resting her head on his shoulder.

Then, just for good measure, she added, "Don't ye dare leave me again. If ye do, I'll tell everyone Captain Jack Sparrow is a wuss."

* * *

><p>(AN:) Sorry this took so long to finish. Schoolwork and swimming have been crazy, I turned fourteen (yay!), and I hurt my knee, so what used to be writing time is now spent doing rehab stuff. No fun. But I promise to try to get chapter thirteen posted sooner! In the meantime, though, the review button doesn't bite. ;)


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: Disney... It's always belonged to you. But don't worry. I'll keep it safe.

(A/N:) Scratch that bit about it not taking as long this time. I apologize. I had a bit of writer's block towards the middle- I knew what I wanted to happen, but had some difficulty with getting the wording just right. Sorry. :-/ Oh, and I also had to take the ACT. Now I get to sit around waiting for the mail truck every day in hopes that my scores will come. Won't THAT be fun. (- sarcasm) Anyhoo, enjoy! And reviews are always very much appreciated! :)

* * *

><p>Mr. Gibbs held up a hand to the four weary crew members trudging behind him, silently ordering them to halt. They had come to a small house that stood a few hundred yards back from the second clearing, down yet another dirt path. In the faint grey light starting to stream in through the dense forest, it appeared to be quite well-kept and liveable, as opposed to the rest of the buildings they had seen so far. They could just make out the faint glow of a light somewhere within.<p>

"Wot do we do now?" Matthew asked, for what must have been the hundredth time since they had come ashore. Gibbs sighed and turned to face the boy. He had always been somewhat of a pain, and was being even more aggravating than usual over the past few hours. But he was a good, loyal worker, as far as they could tell, and chose to keep him around. Who else would put up with him?

"I'd say our best bet be ta go on inside," he replied, his voice severely lacking the confidence his words attempted to convey. He took a few tentative steps towards the house, but his comrades lingered behind. "Well? Wot are ye waitin' fer?" he prodded, motioning for them to follow him. Exchanging wary looks, they did as they were told, traipsing along behind him towards the front door.

Upon reaching the entrance, Gibbs gathered all the courage he possibly could, squeezing his rabbit's foot for luck, and lifted a gnarled old hand to knock. Swallowing anxiously, he rapped on the door once, twice, three times.

There was no answer.

Mr. Gibbs moved to look through the window again. Sure enough, he could still see a faint light from upstairs, and could have sworn he had heard footsteps. He knocked again. Suddenly, he heard a voice from merely a few inches beside him, a deep baritone with a thick, rich accent. "Welcome. We've been expecting you."

* * *

><p>Anya huddled under the thin, scratchy material of her blanket. Though she could not see outside, she figured that it was early morning by now. She could not help but wonder what might have transpired amongst the rescue party sent earlier; no one had seen Mr. Gibbs and his band of helpers since they had departed the day before. Abruptly, she sat straight up, nearly knocking her hat off in the process. Glancing about to be sure that no one was suspicious of her blunder, she settled back down, struggling to remain still. Oh, how she hoped they hadn't found that place. She shuddered at the thought. If they found it, surely they would leave immediately, and who knows what might become of little Jonathan? She found herself struggling with her mixed emotions, and beads of sweat appeared on her creased brow. There were so many things here that they simply could not see. How would Elizabeth react if she learned of the secrets tucked away throughout the island? What about Will? And if Sarah or Kristie were to see some of the horrors here- no, she could not think such things. She would simply have to protect the children from such things. It was such a blessing that they had remained aboard; she did not know if she could take care of two more people.<p>

As she continued to ponder over those she had to hide everything from, an image of Robin entered her mind, and refused to leave. This particular image was that of him as he slept, messy auburn curls strewn over his pillow, murmuring gibberish about Jack and a secret plan. She was still astonished that he had not been angry with her upon discovering her secret. But then, neither had Sarah, she mused. Why? Surely anyone else would have been infuriated with her; how could they not? Perhaps it was merely because she had cared for Robin so faithfully after he was injured that he accepted the truth so well.

Presently Will, whom she had believed to be asleep, wakened the others and announced that they needed to be on their way. Ragetti cowered in the corner, refusing to move until Pintel convinced him with a smack on the shoulder. Will, who had slept by the door, moved the stone at the entry just a sliver, then peered out, scanning the area for danger. When he was satisfied that it was safe enough, he fully removed the rock, and they crawled out one by one and gathered again behind the boulder. Will glanced over at her and whispered, "We need to find Jonathan." He then nodded at her, gesturing for her to lead the way.

She took a shaky breath, making sure her hat was secure, then crawled over to a tree that was still encased in shadows in the dim morning glow, but nearly stumbled and collapsed on her way. She inwardly scolded herself as she straightened out behind the tree and peered down into the thick foliage, pulling back leaves here and there in search for that old path- ah, there it was. She drew back the curtain of leaves and sighed in trepidation. For just a moment, she allowed her eyes to fall closed. She knew this island so well, had traveled its length so many times. She had been inside most of the buildings, knew what went on here, even knew some of the people here. What trouble should it be to lead this little band of pirates through it? When her eyes reopened, they held a look of determination. Beckoning for the others to follow, she plunged through the leaves and down the path.

* * *

><p>"What do you think it all meant?" Kristie sat forward, listening intently to Elizabeth and Robin as they reluctantly told the girls of their adventures on shore.<p>

"No idea," Robin admitted, shaking his head in bewilderment.

"I'm guessing that it's got something to do with destroying the Pearl," Elizabeth mused. "I don't know why it would say 'Sparrow,' though- after that last little incident, many people believe Jack to be dead!" After a moment's pause, she chuckled softly and said bemusedly, "Careful, Kristie, they're probably after you." The girl grinned mischievously.

Sarah, who had not spoken even a word up to this point, inquired hesitantly, "Were the papers written in the same hand as the note on the map?"

Elizabeth looked to her in surprise, not having thought of this herself. "I- I believe so," she said, trying to retrieve an image of the papers in her mind's eye and wishing she had kept one. She remembered that it was not written in cursive, but the letters were oddly shaped. "Yes," she said confidently. The letters on the note had had all the same oddities, down to the crookedly crossed T's.

Her daughter bit her lip, thinking hard. "Well," she began, speaking slowly, "The note was slightly smeared from rubbing against Uncle Jack's pocket, which means it did not have time to dry before being placed there. To get to Tortuga from here, he must have had a ship, and that's where Jonathan would have been taken, since he kidnapped him there. Since the Pearl is the fastest ship in the world, he couldn't have gotten here as fast as we did, and would have arrived sometime over the past few days. So- why haven't we seen his ship?"

Elizabeth, Robin and Kristie all stared at the girl incredulously. Kristie was the first to speak. "Maybe they got a secret port somewhere?"

"It would have to be somewhere we can't see from here," Elizabeth said thoughtfully. "Perhaps we were looking in the wrong place? If they've already arrived, they must have made port on the other side of the island."

Robin nodded his agreement. "One problem- how do we tell the others that? One of us will have to go ashore." He tried to keep the hopeful note out of his voice, but couldn't deny that he wanted to be the one elected to do so. He was sick and tired of being cooped up on the _Pearl_.

Suddenly Elizabeth's head snapped up. Her brow furrowed, and the others gave her questioning looks. Speaking slowly, she said, "What about Jacob? He knows his way around. Maybe he'll be able to lead the others there?"

Robin felt his stomach tighten into a cold knot at her words. He felt an overwhelming wave of guilt at the thought of keeping secrets from them, but could not bear to upset Anya by breaking her trust. He swallowed hard, his mind and heart tormented with indecision. Should he tell Elizabeth? She was, after all, his superior here, and the sense of duty instilled in him from a young age demanded that he inform her. However, his heart stubbornly refused to do so, blatantly rejecting the idea of betraying someone he considered a friend. He couldn't, not after all she'd done for him. He would not tell.

This being decided, he forced his face to reveal nothing of his inner thoughts, and lifted his bowed head to rejoin the conversation. He was surprised to find that Elizabeth, Sarah and Kristie had apparently called an end to their impromptu meeting, and that he was the only one left. He bit his lip- how much had he missed? Oh, he hoped he hadn't missed out on an opportunity to go back ashore. With a sigh, he straightened himself out and headed over to the railing. He stared longingly down at the island, wondering what was going on there at that moment, and wishing he could be a part of it. He wanted to find out how Anya knew so much about this place. She would certainly be an interesting person to get to know, he reasoned. Maybe he could do just that- maybe.

* * *

><p>Sarah flopped down on her bunk, sighing dramatically. She immediately regretted this, not wanting to attract Kristie's attention. Fortunately, the younger girl seemed not to have noticed, as there was no movement to be heard from the creaky old structure, and Sarah assumed that she had simply continued to pore over her beloved maps. Being careful not to make much noise, she dug out her diary and writing utensils, settling back against the pillow and resting the little book in her lap, her knees bent. Making sure not to blur the ink, she began to write.<p>

_Saturday, October 5th_

_This evening Robin returned to shore. Despite our troubles in Tortuga, I wish I could go with him. I don't know anything of what's going on, and am stuck with nothing to do. Even in October, the air is hot and damp, as if even the world has ceased to move. Even though everyone else is as busy as ever, my life is unbearably dull here. Poor Kristie is far, far worse off, though- she is even more on edge than usual, and spends an increasing amount of time pacing back and forth on the top deck, glancing out over the railing as if she's waiting for someone to appear. We don't play much anymore. It's just not as fun without the cheerful busyness all around us. Anyway, it just seems wrong to engage in such fun activities when so much has gone terribly wrong.  
><em>

_If I'm completely honest, I don't even know why I am writing this. There is maddeningly little to report. Perhaps tomorrow I shall be bursting with news from land, and will be satisfied by knowledge on Jonathan's situation. I doubt it. More likely, I shall be even more frustrated and restless. What if I never hear anything at all? What if everyone is killed, and it's all my fault? I believe I would simply curl up and cry until my death. Oh, dear God, keep them safe._

_Always,_

_Sarah Turner_

She heaved a sorrowful sigh, blowing gently on the ink to dry it. Glancing over the short entry, she considered tearing it out, but decided against it. She was to write down how she felt, and she had done just that. Closing her diary, she tucked everything away again, carefully hiding everything between her bunk and the wall. She then rolled over onto her side, tucking the covers around her cozily, then shaking them off instead, then pulling them around her again. Sighing again in discontentment, she curled up, clutching her knees up to her chest and closing her eyes. As she had predicted, sleep did not come.

* * *

><p>Mr. Gibbs whirled around, finding himself face-to-face with a strange man. "Where is our friend Jack?" he asked smoothly, as though he were an old friend. On the contrary, one look at him easily proved otherwise. His neat queue was dark brown and curled under at the ends. His clean-shaven face wore an evilly cordial expression, hospitable, yet sinister. His eyes were dark brown, with flecks of black scattered throughout the irises. He was dressed well, suggesting no small amount of wealth. His demeanor and attire were impeccable. Gibbs immediately decided he hated this man.<p>

"Why d'ye ask?" he retorted, then quickly added, "Methinks 'e should be comin' round 'ere soon." Though he wanted to be gruff with him, he was no longer young and agile, and didn't want to risk getting into a fight with anyone.

"Oh, did you have trouble finding us? I'm terribly sorry. Shall we go inside? It is far more comfortable, and we can have a drink while we wait for Jack to catch up."

The pirate shook his head slowly, keeping a wary eye upon the stranger and taking a step back. "We're perfectly happy out 'ere," he announced.

The man nodded graciously. "Suit yourself." He gestured to a bench on the porch, as if offering it as a place to rest for a moment. Never taking his eyes off the stranger, Gibbs sat there, followed by his crew members, who had remained silent since this man's arrival. As they made themselves as comfortable as possible, he inquired politely if he might join them. Without waiting for a response, he seated himself beside Gibbs, leaning casually against the back of the bench. "Oh!" he exclaimed suddenly, abruptly standing back up. "How remiss of me. I do apologize, I've forgotten to introduce myself. I am Commadore Kovalsky. And you are?"

"Mister Gibbs," he replied simply.

"Pleasure to meet you, Mister Gibbs." He bowed slightly. "What brings you here today?"

"I believe ye demanded that we come here, so I think we should be askin' ye that, seeing as yer what brings us here today, and ye know exactly what ye want us for, so ye are the reason we come, and we don't know ye." The voice came from the woods nearby, and the men glanced over to find Jack swaggering towards them. He was soon followed by Will, Ana, Pintel, Ragetti and Jacob.

"I suppose that is understandable," Kovalsky conceded, after pausing a moment to translate Jack's scrambled logic.

"Awright, then, down to business," Jack said grandly, marching up to him boldly until he stood mere inches away. "Where is my son?"

An evil smirk spread briefly over Kovalsky's face, but vanished as quickly as it had come. "Don't worry, he has not been harmed, nor will he be-" he paused momentarily- "as long as you cooperate."

* * *

><p>As Anya stepped out of the thick undergrowth, a stately white mansion came into view, and a cold knot formed in her stomach. Though she had known that the usual rush of emotions would flood her, she hadn't realized the effect this particular mission would have on her. Jack pushed ahead, obviously eager to get to Jonathan. She began to follow him towards the house, then hesitated as another issue came to mind. Would she be recognized? As this nauseatingly frightening thought occurred to her, she shrank back, slowing her pace significantly. Even so, the building came closer and closer, looming over her like a monster, and she gulped, discreetly pulling her hat closer around her face.<p>

There he was.

It had been three years since she'd last seen him. Part of her wanted to run to him, and throw her arms around his neck, but she knew she couldn't. That would ruin everything. She had worked so hard on this, and she wasn't about to blow it. He had matured considerably, that much was obvious. His manner was regal; his posture silently commanded respect. From a glance, one would probably guess he was far older than his meager twenty-two years. His grin was gone, of course, replaced by a calm, collected stare, and she bit her lip, her brow furrowing. Oh, how he'd changed.

Despite a slight bout of nausea, she survived the trek to the porch quite well, but chose to remain at the bottom step, just to be on the safe side. Maybe it made her a wimp, but even so, she'd prefer being labeled as such to being killed.

Carefully disguising her voice, and being sure to use her very best British accent- though it was still tainted with Russian- she asked, "Captain, should I wait here?"

Without ceasing the stare-down he was having with the Commodore, he mumbled that that would be all right. She was relieved to be let off the hook, and turned to dutifully watch for any interruptions in the forest's eerie serenity. Every few minutes, she glanced quickly over her shoulder, trying to get a glimpse of what was going on without being seen. After a few minutes of attempting in vain to hear the whispered conversation, she heard the door open, then footsteps as her friends entered the mansion. The door closed heavily, and she turned to see if anyone else had remained on the porch. No one had. With a deep, shaky sigh, she settled uneasily on the steps, clasping and unclasping her hands and fidgeting nervously.

She sat there for what seemed like an eternity, not knowing what was going on inside, and torn between wanting to be there and wanting to run away. It occurred to her that something might have happened inside, and that her new friends might be in peril. After a few moments, however, she decided that this was not likely- she would have probably heard something.

Just as she was beginning to fear for her sanity, she heard a rustling in the leaves. Startled out of her anxious thoughts, she leaped to her feet, yanking her hat down firmly and clutching at the hilt of her sword. Though she was not exactly skilled with the blade, she liked to have it with her, if only to look more confident. She turned about in a semicircle, eying every possible hiding place warily. Upon hearing a muffled grunt from the tunnel they had come through earlier, she whirled about to face the intruder. As he stumbled rather unceremoniously out of the undergrowth and began to brush the mud and leaves off of his clothes, her jaw dropped. "Robin?"

He glanced up, seeming to notice her there for the first time. "Oh! Hullo! Uh- where are the others?"

"They're inside," she replied, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice. Of course he hadn't come to see her. She had lied to him, and though he had promised to keep her secret, that had probably been a mere gesture of thanks for caring for his injuries. "I am to stay here and watch for trouble."

He nodded, not sure whether he should be upset that she was left alone to face whatever troubles might arise, or grateful that she would not be around for any troubles with the mysterious Ivan. True enough, no one else knew of her true identity, at least that he had been told, and they would have no reason to treat her with any more care than the others. Nevertheless, he could not help but worry for her safety. Would that bother her? He honestly didn't know. She certainly seemed to be self-sufficient, but how would he know? Would she mind if he addressed her as Anya now, since no one else was around? Was she upset with him for discovering her secret? Or worse, did she think he had divulged said secret to another?

At some point he had apparently sat down beside her on the steps, though his brain had not bothered to let him know at the time. As his focus returned to reality, he found that they were sitting together in companionable silence, her resting her elbows on her knees, him resting his forearms on the step behind him. Wishing to make conversation before someone else came along, he inquired, "So what have I missed?"

She shrugged casually. "Not much, really. We had a close call with some guards last night, but all is well now."

"Good, good," he replied. A few more moments of silence. Then, "No one else has- um- found out, have they? You know- about you being- you know."

He regretted his words instantly, despite the stormy debate he had had with himself before speaking them, for her shoulders instantly tensed, and beneath the ever-present hat he could see her bite her lip anxiously. How could he have been so stupid? He mentally smacked his forehead. "Not- not that I know of," she answered coolly. "Why? Do they have reason to?"

"I was just wondering," he replied quickly. "I'm glad." He was also glad when he noticed her rigid posture relax slightly.

Just then, the door swung open above them, causing them both to jump to attention. Mark, one of Gibbs' expedition- a lad of perhaps twenty-five- peered out. At first he appeared surprised at the sight of Robin there, but quickly recovered. "Jack says to come out 'ere and tell ye to come on in, jest in case," he announced.

They both stood. "We'll be right in," Robin said, nodding to the boy. He nodded back quickly, then disappeared back into the house. Wordlessly, Robin offered Anya his cutlass. She shook her head, motioning to her own sword, which hung at her waist, ready for action, but whispered her thanks anyway. He smiled at her warmly, albeit nervously, and together they began to climb the steps.

* * *

><p>Her heart was pounding loudly enough that she was surprised Robin couldn't hear it as they turned towards the door. So there would be no avoiding a confrontation. She subconsciously tugged her hat further down over her face for what must have been the thousandth time since coming ashore. Being caught on board the <em>Pearl<em> was one thing, but this was another entirely. Robin climbed the first few steps quickly, as though nothing was wrong, before looking to where she stood, frozen in place, with brow furrowed and eyes full of concern. Maybe words were exchanged, maybe not; she honestly wouldn't have known. But he extended his hand tentatively- almost as if he expected to be scolded for such an action, it seemed- and she gladly took it. Steeling her nerves, she climbed the all-too-familiar stairs to the house.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: Yo se que la Piratas del Caribe no me pertenecen, savvy?

(A/N:) All right, break time is over, back to work. Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Anya seemed incredibly nervous, Robin mused. Why? She apparently knew her way around the island- were her memories here sweet or sour? From the looks of things, they had been the latter. She clasped his hand tightly so as to hide from him the fact that she was trembling as he opened the door, then swallowed hard before entering. He felt somewhat guilty at the thought of her feeling she had to hide her fear from him. He knew her true identity, her most carefully-guarded secret. Or was it? He wasn't sure anymore.<p>

He grew increasingly certain that she was hiding something far more disturbing as they approached the drawing room where the others were, despite the brave, nonchalant front she put up. In fact, this charade only lasted until they reached the entrance. At that point, she stopped dead in her tracks, seemingly unable to take another step. Her hand fell from his, and clasped her opposite hand quickly, entwining her fingers over and over.

"You all right?" he asked softly.

She looked back up at him quickly, her delicate features bearing a slightly surprised expression beneath the tattered brown hat, almost as if she had forgotten he was there.

"Yes," she answered swiftly, looking back down at her sweaty, folded hands. She took a deep breath again.

"Are- are you sure?" It was obvious to him that she was lying, and in fact was far from "all right."

"Of course." As she straightened out, squaring her shoulders and carefully removing all traces of anxiety from her face, he didn't know whether to be happy because she had seemed to have recovered, or heartbroken at how well she had learned to bottle up her feelings. She was fascinating and frustrating, incredible and yet so dense about some things. And altogether she was the most amazing person he'd ever met.

She opened the door and strode confidently in.

* * *

><p>Her heart was pounding in her chest as she came to a stop over near Will and Jack, but she could not let her guard down and show her fear; he would surely become suspicious of her. He stopped talking for a moment and glanced over at her, and her heart stopped pounding, stopped beating altogether for a second. She shoved her grimy hands into her trouser pockets and nodded casually in greeting. A wave of relief washed over as he nodded back, his face revealing no recognition.<p>

It was funny- she had been devastated when Sarah and Robin had caught her without her disguise, but now she was infinitely glad that they had. The knowledge that someone else could know who she was and still accept her brought her a queer kind of comfort, and having Robin by her side was the only reason she had the strength to face this man, this house, yet again. She had never in her life known a person as kind as he. What would she do without him?

Her mind drifted back to the conversation as Kovalsky laughed.

"I assure you, your little boy- Jonathan, you say?- is quite safe. In fact-" he paused, turning and nodding briskly to a guard nearby- "he shall be returned to you shortly."

Anya glanced over and saw that the aforementioned boy's parents' faces were a mixture of shock, confusion, excitement and exhausted relief. The guard marched crisply off, and momentarily they heard a door creak open, then slam shut. Turning around swiftly, the Commodore called out, "Тишина в помещении, дурак!"

A chill ran down her spine to hear her native language once again, even if it had come in the form of such harsh words- "Tishina v pomeshchenii , durak-" Silence, you fool.

He turned back to them, a syrupy smile once again replacing the harsh scowl. "Please excuse Alik. He is new to the job. Though a smart boy, he has not yet learned to be quiet in the presence of guests. Now, where were we? Ah, yes, your son. You see, he shall be returned to you within a few minutes here, so you have nothing to worry about."

She quickly acquired a cold knot in the pit of her stomach as she heard those words in that tone, remembering the last time she had heard him speak so, resulting in the death of people very near to her. Why here, of all places, did they have to come? If she had felt the weight of the world on her shoulders in that tunnel, she surely had the weight of the sun and moon as well now.

"And at what cost?" Ana asked coolly.

He changed his cordial expression out for one of surprise. "Cost? There is no cost."

Now Robin spoke up. "So you just kidnapped their son and brought us to this wretched island for no reason whatsoever? What is this, some sort of sick joke? A game?" He maintained a calm stance, but his tone of voice betrayed his anger.

"Of course not!" Now the Commodore had the courtesy to look apologetic. "You see, you were not the people I had intended to bring here. Please, I offer my sincere apologies for any inconvenience I may have caused you." His English had improved.

"Inconvenience?" she heard Robin mutter under his breath.

She turned quickly as she heard the door squeak softly open, then click shut. The guard returned carrying a dirty little boy of perhaps two or three years old.

Anya could literally see Ana's knees go weak as she ran to the guard and took her baby boy from him, Jack following close behind. He was grinning widely, the first time she had seen him so happy.

"Would you like to stay for a cup of tea? You all look dreadfully tired."

"I'm afraid not, sire. Methinks we best be on our way," Gibbs replied warily.

"Very well then. I do hope you'll forgive me for all the trouble I've caused you."

The conversation continued as the little party made their way out the door, but she heard none of it. She just stood there in the background of the commotion and studied the Commodore, as if trying to delve into his thoughts. He seemed to be sincere- some things never changed. And yet there remained behind his eyes that cruel glint, like an evil Kristianna, evidencing that he most certainly had made no mistake, and knew exactly what he was doing. But if she told anyone but Robin this, she would have to reveal how she knew it and therefore who she was, and he would learn of her presence here, and she would no longer be able to protect them. She wanted nothing more than to run away, far, far away, then to just curl up in a little ball and cry. _Oh, Ivan. What do you have planned this time?_

* * *

><p>The three children looked up from their thirty-eighth game of Liar's Dice in the crow's nest when they heard a strange ruckus down on the main deck. They exchanged worried glances- after days of monotonous emptiness, had members of the crew turned upon each other? As the noise from the skirmish below grew, so did their concern. Kristie was the first to leap to her feet and scramble over the side of the nest for a peek. Sarah and Robert followed behind, but opted not to climb into the rigging just yet.<p>

Down below, there was indeed a fight going on, but not amongst crew members. Rather, it appeared that the ship had been invaded by complete strangers. Six uniformed men were fighting their way through to the wheel of the ship. Sarah turned to look at Kristie, question in her eyes, though she knew her friend was no better informed than she. Where was she?

In one heart-stopping moment, she realized that her best friend had scampered the rest of the way down the rigging, grabbed her sword from behind the steps, and was now preparing to join in the fight. Sarah tried to yell to her not to do this, that she was too young to charge into a battle like that, but all that came out was a squeak. She watched in helpless horror as her best friend ran into the chaos, her sword flashing as she tried to help the rest of the crew to defend the _Pearl._

Without even thinking about it, Sarah ran after her. She had to save her from dying like this at barely eleven years old.

She was scared to the point of nausea as she snatched up her sword and ran after Kristie. It occurred to her briefly that she hadn't even dropped her bag before climbing down. She had heard battles from below deck, but never before had she actually seen one with her own eyes. Her eyes flitted back and forth, trying to find her friend in the chaos. Ah, there she was. For a brief moment, a lump formed in her throat as it occurred to her just how at home Kristie seemed here, in the midst of a battle, defending her ship. In one split second, her mind transformed eleven-year-old Kristie into twenty-year-old Captain Kristianna Sparrow, bravely defending her own ship against her enemies.

She was forced out of her reverie by the flash of a sword, which she instinctively turned and blocked. The look on her attacker's face was one of shock- apparently he had not expected a young girl like her to be any sort of a challenge. Though still internally berating herself for losing focus and scared to death of this situation she'd put herself in, she couldn't help but grin smugly at him as she parried the blade deftly away from her. Her parents had taught her well, and she was far stronger than she appeared. She couldn't bring herself to attack him, though. She just couldn't do it.

A yelp sounded from a few feet behind her, and she whirled around to see what it was. There, almost as if trapped in time, Kristie cringed before the raised sword of a guard. She had turned around just in time to see the trusty sword clatter to the deck, having been knocked roughly from her hand. Sarah's mind ceased to function then, pure instinct taking over as she sprang forward, her blade coming out to meet its opponent, stopping it in its path mere inches from where Kristie cowered. Her arms protested angrily at the sudden force thrust upon them, but the pain they caused failed to even register in her brain. She threw everything she had into fighting off this man, and her mind only returned to consciousness when her task was complete.

He was not dead, but he was certainly wounded. A large gash in his arm poured blood, as did a deep cut on his side. As he stumbled and fell to the deck, Sarah stepped back, suddenly realizing what she had done. Her hand flew to her mouth. She stepped backwards, shaking her head slightly, her heart numb. Had she really just done that? As she walked further back, though, she nearly tripped over Kristie, who still sat, dazed, behind her, staring at the injured man in shock. Shaking, Sarah extended her hand down, and Kristie took it, looking at her as though she were an angel. "Come on," Sarah muttered. "Next time, be careful."

* * *

><p>Dark. He remembered it had been dark. And hungry. Very hungry. He got food, but not good food. He felt like he'd been in there forever. But he was happy now. Mommy was much better than those strange people. They had laughed at him and called him things that weren't his name. He didn't know what the words meant though- he supposed he should ask. He looked at Mommy and told her the word. "No," Mommy told him. "Bad word. Don't say that."<p>

"No no," Daddy said, and Jonny laughed. He had missed Daddy. He decided he wanted a hug, and reached out his arms. Daddy lifted him up into the air, then brought him back down. He snuggled into his shoulder and sighed contentedly. Sleepy... It had been loud in the dark room, so he hadn't gotten good sleep. It wasn't noisy here. Just Mommy and Daddy and Uncle Will and their friends talking to each other. The world blurred and faded around him as he drifted off to dreamland.

* * *

><p><em>Sunday, October 6th<em>

_Dear Diary,  
><em>

_As I write this, I am locked up in the Black Pearl. I am endlessly glad that my mother went back ashore for a walk, or she would be trapped down here as well, and that can't be healthy for a pregnant woman. I wrote that it is Sunday, but I honestly don't know. All I know is that there's enough light coming through the bars now to write here. I suppose I should explain why I'm being held captive here. Kristie, Robert and I were up in the crow's nest, playing Liar's Dice yet again, when suddenly we heard a commotion on the main deck. You see, I don't know who or why, but several men have managed to take over the ship. Naturally, Kristie's first instinct was to run down, grab her sword from under the stairs, and join in the fight. After that it's all a bit of a blur. It's like my brain stopped and let my heart take over. I climbed down after her and grabbed my sword too, to try to rescue her, I suppose. I'm not really sure. I'd never been so terrified in all my life, I do remember that much. I fought one man for about thirty seconds, and even that had me utterly exhausted. After those thirty seconds, though, I heard Kristie yelp, and it was like my world stopped. We don't always get along perfectly- well, we rarely go a day without arguing- but she's closer to me than a sister and I love her. When I turned around, I saw her about to be killed by another attacker. Her sword had just been knocked out of her hand, and he was holding his sword above her, ready to swing it down and practically cut her in half. Instinctively I jumped in between them and blocked his sword with my own. My arm still aches from doing so, but I certainly am glad I did. What happened after that is so surreal, I hardly remember it. It was as though I was no longer in control of my actions, but rather simply watching what Sarah Turner did. I don't know how long I fought him, but once it was over and I could think straight again, I was shocked, almost horrified. I didn't kill him, but I came far too close. It was quite sobering to realize that I was capable of such a thing.  
><em>

_I can no longer complain that nothing interesting is going on. We're moving now, and that scares me, but I can do nothing to stop it. Not only am I locked away below decks, I was so completely exhausted after the battle that I could hardly walk down here. I've had some sleep now, though I know naught how long I slept, but hunger continues to sap my energy. My arm is beginning to hurt from holding my quill.  
><em>

_I will not say I shall write more soon, because I am no longer sure of that.  
><em>

_Always,  
><em>

_Sarah Turner  
><em>

"Thank you," Kristie said softly, as she put her diary back in her bag.

Sarah managed a weak smile, and attempted to joke. "What, for putting away the diary?"

"Fer savin' me."

"Oh." Sarah and quite honestly expected her to just go along with it, that she would be happy for the opportunity to avoid anything remotely sappy. "You're welcome."

There was a long pause where neither one said anything, but simply sat in contemplative silence together on the soggy bench. "It was quite odd," Sarah said at length.

"Wot, the fightin'?"

"Fighting that pirate who was about to kill you."

"Oh." Another pause. "What do ye mean by tha'?"

"Well- it was like it wasn't me."

"Tha's just weird."

"I agree."

"Who d'ye think they are?"

Sarah chewed her lower lip thoughtfully. "Either they're working for the kidnappers, or they just want a fast ship. I don't know."

"I'm gonna go with workin' fer the kidnappers, 'cause they were all in those fancy uniforms."

"Good point."

"I don' think they wanted Jonathan, or even Dad. I think they wanted the Pearl."

Sarah sat up straighter and opened her eyes. "For once, I think you're right!"

"Oi! Just once?"

"Yes, but that doesn't matter right now. So they wanted us to come here so they could get your dad ashore, then steal the Pearl!"

"Sounds about right, yeah."

"If that's so, then Jonny might be safe by now."

Kristie grinned widely. "Told ye it'd all be all right."

Though the light in the little room was dim, Kristie could see Sarah's expression darken again. "But it's not all fine and dandy again just yet. Nowhere near done."

"But progress is progress."

The smile returned. "Yes, yes it is."

* * *

><p>Anya steeled her nerves for the umpteenth time that day and approached Elizabeth. They had found her walking through the woods at nearly evening, having come after them. Will hadn't wanted to leave her alone for quite a while, having been overly worried about his wife again. Now that the others, having gulped down a quick meal, were settling down for a half hour's rest before moving on, she finally had the chance to talk to her alone.<p>

Walking silently up behind her, she tentatively tapped her on the shoulder. Startled, Elizabeth whirled around to face her, a surprised expression on her face. Anya immediately felt guilty. She shouldn't have sneaked up on her like that, she knew it. She mentally berated herself for being so silly while attempting to apologize. "I-I'm sorry-" she began, but Elizabeth quickly cut her off.

"Nonsense. I just didn't hear you come up behind me, that's all. What do you need, Jacob?"

"I need to talk to you about- something..." she began, then hesitated.

Seeming to sense her fright, Elizabeth moved over on the log and patted the space beside her. "Go on."

Anya closed her eyes, refusing to let her nerves get the best of her. "Please," she said first, "realize that there is very good reason for what I did, and that I mean no harm."

She cringed at the wary look that crept into Elizabeth's eyes. "I understand."

She opened her mouth to speak, but quickly decided that it was best that she learn the same way Robin and Sarah had. She glanced back to make sure no one else had come this way. Upon seeing that no one had, with shaking hands, she reached for the brim of her hat and removed it from her head. Loosening the knotted scrap of fabric, she allowed her hair to fall freely around her shoulders, then tucked it behind her ear. She kept her eyes downcast, afraid of Elizabeth's reaction.

It was then that an all-too-common phrase, "Oh, my God," was invented.

"My name is Anya," she said softly, glancing shyly up at Elizabeth's face. "I knew that, at least according to the Code, a female was not to be allowed aboard any pirate vessel, and since I didn't know it was any different on the Black Pearl, I used a disguise. I had to leave, even if that meant hiding my identity. Please forgive me."

* * *

><p>What on earth did the boy think he'd done wrong? His assistance with navigating the island was the reason little Jonathan was safely snuggled in with his parents right now, rather than locked away in some strange place with mysterious kidnappers.<p>

Oh, he was actually taking off his hat- interesting. She'd never seen him do so before. Why not, she wondered? Did he gain a sense of security from it? Or did he have something to hide? And if so, what?

Ah. Yes, that was something to hide, she supposed. He was a girl.

The thought appeared as innocently as any other, then exploded like a bomb. The voice, the hat, the shyness about his- her- personal life, the strange voice- it all came rushing back to her in a mind-blowing deluge of shock. She looked to be sixteen, perhaps seventeen years old. It occurred to her that she had sprung back from the log and was standing now, staring, her mouth hanging open. Dear Lord, how had she missed this? Had she really become that oblivious?

Then she realized that she must have known her way around the island for some reason aside from having traveled with her father, for there was no way a young girl would be allowed to travel through such strange places- even Kristie would be forbidden to do so. Though she didn't know anything more about her, Elizabeth had no doubt that this girl had had a difficult life. "Oh, my God," she said softly to herself. She didn't continue the prayer any further, for she knew naught how. No more words seemed necessary.

"My name is Anya. I knew that, at least according to the Code, a female was not to be allowed aboard any pirate vessel, and since I didn't know it was any different on the Black Pearl, I used a disguise. I had to leave, even if that meant hiding my identity. Please forgive me."

After a few minutes, she realized that the poor girl was probably scared to death of rejection by this time, and that she should probably reassure her. "It's all right," she said quietly.

Relief flooded Anya's face. "I cannot thank you enough," she said earnestly.

"But I must know," Elizabeth began, moving closer once again, "Why did you choose to come aboard?"

"I cannot tell you everything, and if the stories I have heard are true, you must understand that."

"Of course."

"I appreciate your kindness, Captain Turner."

"Call me Elizabeth."

"Once again, thank you."

"From your speech, you must have been raised well."

She shrugged. "It depends on what you compare it to. Sit, and I shall tell you all that I safely can."

* * *

><p>(AN:) Okay, I'm seriously sorry about how long this took me. Finals, swimming, piano... just a really hectic month, and a tough chapter to start on. Writing these is weird- it's like climbing a hill. Once you hit the 1800 word mark, the rest is easy, but before then you're just pounding out little bits at a time. I ended up writing little tiny bits for a few weeks, procrastinating and being dissatisfied with everything I wrote, then on Saturday I wrote 3,000 words in one morning. So now that I've wasted another 30 seconds of your life trying to explain myself, I'll shut up. Hope it was worth the wait!


	15. Chapter 15

(A/N:) Hiii! So I'm really sorry I didn't get this up sooner. The end of the long course swim season was pretty hectic, then after that I had foot surgery. So while I had plenty of time to write, I couldn't come up with a way to put it down. About a week after I was back in normal people shoes, we went to visit relatives before the start of school, and towards the end of that week, I literally jumped up out of my chair, ran over to the computer, and wrote the chapter. It was finished within three days. So here ya have it. Hope it was worth the wait! :)

Disclaimer: Argh! Be ye ole Pirates o' the Caribbean mine? Nay! Oy, what a cruel, cruel life this be. Who be with me?

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><p>"My name is Anastasia, but I prefer to be called Anya. I am nineteen years old. Your daughter discovered my secret recently, but I begged her not to tell anyone of it; please do not be angry with her."<p>

"I shan't. And speaking of daughters, what of your own parents?"

"My parents do not know I am here," Anya said softly, "and I doubt they care. As the youngest of six children and the only girl, I was never exactly the favorite One might think that on an island such as this, where I grew up, it would be different, but it was not. At eleven, I ran away, stowed aboard a ship bound for Tortuga, and stayed with my friend Louisa Marie. At twelve, I disguised myself as a boy and became apprenticed to Andrew Moore, a carpenter, so this sort of disguise is far from new to me. It's simply safer in the world for a boy than for a girl."

"I can understand that. Go on."

"It was possible to keep my identity hidden, so long as I only came out to work and kept a hat on at all times. But Mr. Moore died when I was eighteen, leaving me to take over the business. As one would assume, the disguise that had already been difficult to maintain became an impossible challenge. About seven months ago, a fortnight after my nineteenth birthday, I began work in the harbor. I remained there for six months, then looked for a ship to board when I discovered that someone whose name I cannot mention had returned to Tortuga. Now here I am.

"I was not lying when I told your daughter I had left home because of family issues. I cannot tell you exactly what those family issues entail, because I fear it would endanger us all for you to know."

Elizabeth, who had returned to her place beside Anya, sat up straighter, a wary look coming into her eyes and her brow furrowing slightly.

Not wishing to cause her concern, Anya hurriedly added, "I promise I shall do my best to prevent any harm from coming to you. Though you knew naught who I was, you and the rest aboard the Black Pearl have been kinder to me than anyone else has."

The worried creases faded from Elizabeth's face, but did not disappear entirely. Anya bit her lip, mentally berating herself. Honestly, did she have to make it sound so grim? She should have softened her words, obviously, rather than scaring poor Mrs. Turner to death.

Elizabeth bit her lip, pondering over Anya's words. It was obvious from her eloquent speech that her background was far from commonplace- no ordinary Tortuga girl spoke that way. Why, then had she turned to a life of piracy? Or had she?

"I have indeed been on this island before, and in fact spent quite a lot of time here. Once, again, if I tell you why, some difficulties may arise."

"I'm not sure I understand how, but I believe you."

"I thank you. I-"

She was cut off abruptly by Will calling Elizabeth's name from the campfire, and the sound of footsteps in their direction. She swiftly tucked her hair up under her hat again, pulling the brim securely down over her face. "We will talk more later," she said softly.

Elizabeth nodded, and managed a weak smile. Her brain hardly registered a change when Anya, once more disguised as Jacob, hurried off. She was still trying to get over the fact that the young boy was, in fact, a young girl. Who would have thought? And she had such a mystifying past, too.

Will settled down beside her on the log. "Everything all right?"

Shaking her head briskly to clear the cobwebs from her muddled mind, she turned to smile at him and nodded cheerily. "Of course!"

He raised an eyebrow skeptically, but said nothing. Rather, he simply nodded and turned to face the same direction she did.

She sighed. _As if he would believe her if she lied to him._ "No, everything is not okay, but it's getting there. I can't tell you why I'm upset yet, but I will as soon as I can."

He looked disappointed, but nodded, seeming to be satisfied that she would at least admit her concern. There were a few moments of silence. "Does it involve Jacob?"

She almost said that yes it did, but then it occurred to her that it really did not, since there was no real Jacob. And besides, she certainly did not wish for him to suspect the poor girl of any wrongdoing. "Yes and no."

He nodded again.

A few minutes later, he asked, "Shall we go join the others?"

She nodded, and not another word was said about the mysterious issue.

* * *

><p>Kristie paced around the cramped cell, searching for a way, any way, to escape. Still there had been no sign of Robert, as they had been taken to separate cells. For all they knew he could have been press-ganged into working for the Russians. The ship had stopped moving now, but all they could see from the tiny barred window was the marbled greyish brown of rock. Perhaps they had been docked on a rocky beach, or maybe by a cliff. They honestly did not know.<p>

She stopped what she was doing and rushed over to the door- not that there was a need to rush, after all, it was only a 6-foot-wide cell- and snatched a homemade, wiry, slightly mangled hairpin from where it had been hooked over her bandanna. Oh, yes, it was always good to have one on hand for emergencies. She glanced this way and that, making sure she was not being watched, then quietly threaded a slender arm through the bars, twisting at the elbow and reaching around for the lock. Taking a deep breath, she jammed it in. Then she swiftly pulled it back in, examining the marks made in the pin and deftly bending little sections of wire to match, before repeating the process. On the third round, she thought she heard footsteps, so she hurried the process along a bit, humming softly to herself in her anxiety. She jammed it in, hearing the hints of a click, hoping desperately that it would work as well as it did with simple padlocks on suitcases and drawers. She yanked it out and began to pull her arm back in to finish her work, but her elbow caught painfully against one of the rusty metal bars, and the precious bit of wire dropped silently to the puddle on the floor.

Kristie's knees hit the floor immediately, and Sarah sprang from her position on the bench, both reaching anxiously for the stray pin, but both leaped straight back to their feet as a uniformed guard strolled down the corridor with a mop. Upon noticing the pair standing against the door, he paused in his mopping and smirked knowingly. "As you well know," he said, "there's not much chance of escape. So you'd better save your strength." And with that, he reached for the next mucky puddle- which just happened to be right in front of them. Dark water splashed around their ankles as they watched their makeshift key to freedom be swept away.

* * *

><p>Leonid Gretchenko leaned lazily against the mast of the ship, exhausted from the grueling task of sailing the ship to the bay. This was allegedly the Black Pearl, the fabled pirate ship known as the fastest in all the world, yet at a glance, it certainly didn't appear to deserve such a lofty title. Heavily patched-up wooden sides evidenced numerous attacks, and even the famed black sails were ragged with years of wear and tear and countless patch jobs, obviously done by someone with less than expert sewing skills.<p>

No matter how many times they went through this routine- lure a vessels owner to the island, distract them, steal the ship, finish the deal quietly- it never did sit well with him. As far as he knew, he was the only one here who got a knot in his stomach as they began each step that had only begun to fade by the time they had to start the next. Not that Commodore Kovalsky would care- he probably didn't even care to know Leonid's name, much less how he felt about the methods the Company used to acquire the possessions.

This time, what bothered him most was the way they'd captured and imprisoned the three young children. They appeared to be no more than eleven or twelve years old, and all they had done was attempt to defend their home from those who tried to steal it, yet they were the ones behind bars while the thieves went free. Maybe it was a unique opinion, but that just seemed wrong to Gretchenko. He'd asked his comrade Alexei Yeleshev to check on them while he was mopping the corridors down below, but he'd just snickered and told him to stop being so pathetic.

He was brought back to the present by a thump on the shoulder and the sound of his name. He opened his eyes to see another man wearing the same drab grey uniform as he, looking rather impatient. "Captain orders that you help with cleanup and restoration of the vessel," he announced curtly.

Heaving a sigh, he hauled himself to his feet from his comfortable position, straightened his hat and sauntered off to do his Captain's bidding, to assist in the next stages of the crime being comitted. Dear God, he hated this job.

* * *

><p><em>Will's eyes drifted wearily over the surface of the ocean, looking but not seeing. In his six years of captaining the Dutchman, the number of souls floating helplessly around in the water had decreased dramatically, but still some remained. When he had first begun this job, he had hated it with a passion, not wanting anything to do with this place again, having no desire to work with this ship that also served as his prison. As time wore on, however, he had settled into the routine, working through the loneliness. Oftentimes he imagined Elizabeth here with him, and some began to wonder if he was going mad. But he was a good captain, kind to the crew and excellent with caring for his traumatized passengers. <em>

_It wasn't a bad life, really, once you got past the morbidness of the business. But every day he heard stories of traumatic accidents, of families torn apart, of lonely childhoods and lives lost. Every sad story felt like a weight on his shoulders. At least twice a day he met someone who had just lost his wife, and every time it hurt just a little bit more. He missed Elizabeth more and more each day, and to combat the loneliness he told himself each day that he was one day closer to his release from the Dutchman and his arrival home. It was how he survived._

_He was suddenly aware of a presence behind him, and turned to see a young man, no more than perhaps twenty, twenty-one years old, standing there. He looked to have been a man of good standing, his dark curls neatly tied out of his face, despite it being a bit bedraggled, and his clothes relatively clean and neat._

_"Hello. I'm afraid we have not met before."_

_Will noted that he spoke with a harsh Russian accent, completing the image perfectly. He replied shortly, "We have not."_

_He nodded politely. "My name is Ivan Kovalsky."_

_"Captain Will Turner."_

_"It is a great pleasure to meet you." The man bowed slightly. "Now, I have come to speak with you of passage back to my home."_

_Will's brow furrowed slightly. "This ship provides passage to the Land of the Dead for those who die at sea. If you are here, I can only assume you've died, therefore, you have no reason to return to the land of the living."_

_"Ah. Well, is it not tradition that one is given the option of joining the crew of the Flying Dutchman for a period of time before going on?"_

_"It is."_

_Another nod. "Well, then, Captain Tanner, I wish to join your crew."_

_"Turner."_

_"Forgive me."_

_"Of course."_

Waking suddenly, Will sat straight up, nearly banging his head on low-hanging tree branch. The memory of that day came flooding back to him, the enormity of the situation finally dawning on him. That man, that unsettling presence who had been with his crew for such a short time, had somehow escaped. And now he was haunting who knows how many captains' lives.

"Will? What's wrong?"

He looked down to see Elizabeth propped up on an elbow, rubbing at her eyes sleepily. The sadness of losing her that he had felt in the dream still remained, and he eased back down to lean on an elbow and pulled her close. Still sleepy, she snuggled into his shoulder, eyes drooping lazily.

"I had a dream about something that happened back on the Dutchman," he said softly.

Her eyebrows knit together and she looked up at him, concerned. "Something bad?"

"Yes and no. It wasn't a nightmare, no, but I see now where it is most definitely something bad." He blew out a long breath. "Very, very bad."

Now it was Elizabeth who sat straight up. "What was it?"

He hesitated momentarily before continuing. "It was Commodore Kovalsky. Ivan."

"What do you mean?"

Another pause. Then, "I've met him before."

Even in the partial darkness of the early morning he could see her eyes widen in shock. "Where?" she breathed, astounded.

"On the _Dutchman_."

"But how? Only those who die at sea board it, and he seems to be quite alive. I don't understand."

"We had arrived at the Land of the Dead, and the rowboats were starting to take the passengers to shore. I was standing at the wheel, and I sensed someone behind me. I turned around, and there he was, looking very similar to how he looks now. He introduced himself as Ivan Kovalsky, and asked about passage back to the land of the living. I explained, as I often did, that there was no place for him there anymore, and that this was where he belonged, so he asked to join my crew. I feel like an idiot for not remembering all this sooner. I'm just now realizing that after a couple of trips, I never saw him again."

They sat in silence for nigh onto a minute before Elizabeth spoke up again. "So you believe that this is the same man, and that he is not truly alive?"

His slightly unfocused eyes remained on the dirt as he nodded.

"So somehow he isn't alive, but isn't truly dead." Then, in an attempt to add a touch of humor to the situation, she added, "This seems entirely too familiar, doesn't it?"

He smiled softly, then cocked his head to the side slightly and said, "I'm sure if I could just find a way to contact Maccus, I could deal with him." Maccus had taken over the _Flying Dutchman _upon Will's return home. With the mutilating effects of Davy Jones' cruelty gone, he actually looked quite like Will. "He joined the crew- he took a pledge. I may never have used the Black Spot, but it is possible for the captain to do."

"Well, I suppose we'd best tell the others," Elizabeth murmured.

Will's only response was an unintelligible, noncommittal sound.

She laughed quietly. "What's that?"

He sighed. "What about Jacob?"

She bit her lip, hating keeping Anya's secret from him. "What about him?"

"I- can we trust him?"

She smiled softly. "Yes."

"You know this from your conversation earlier, I assume."

"Mhmm."

Will made no response to this.

She let out a small sigh. "Will- I don't know if it's something Jacob would want me to tell you. But I believe you should know. You see…" she trailed off, nervous about telling Anya's secret to another.

"Yes?"

"Well, quite simply put, Jacob isn't a boy, but a teenage girl. Her name is Anya. I won't say any more, but she is trustworthy and well worth her salt."

There was silence for a few tense moments before Will spoke again. "Really?"

"I would never lie to you, Will. Never again." She reached up to rest her hand gently on his cheek.

"I know," he breathed. "I just have difficulty wrapping my mind around this." He chuckled nervously.

"It makes sense, though, if you think about it."

He thought of the strange actions he had seen from the boy- no, the girl- recently: time spent watching Elizabeth, insisting to her that she would gladly help if she felt ill. Then, of course, there was the ever-present hat. "It does," he admitted. "Unfortunately, it would also have made sense if 'Jacob' had come to fancy you," he said wryly.

"Will!"

"It makes sense, though, if you think about it," he remarked, eyes twinkling.

Shaking her head fondly, she stood up. "Let's go tell the others, shall we?"

* * *

><p>Sarah and Kristie knelt together on the slimy wood floor of their cell, struggling with a loose floorboard. Their fingers ached and were rubbed raw from trying to uproot it, but it was the only escape route they could come up with, so they persevered in spite of the pain. In the past ten minutes, it had moved upwards a grand total of about three inches. Heaving an exhausted sigh, Sarah rocked back on her heels. Kristie reached forwards and gently rapped on the floor once, twice, three times.<p>

Down the corridor, Robert's face appeared in the corner of his cell. They had discovered a few hours ago to be about five cells apart, but still able to hear each other and see each other if they stood in just the right spot. Luckily, the boy guarding them had fallen asleep, so they could communicate via a crude sign language of sorts. Sarah mimed pulling up a floor board, then silently asked how far up his had come. He glanced back at the floor beside him, measuring with his fingers, then holding up his hand for her to see. From here it looked to be about four inches. Hating to be outdone by her brother, Kristie rolled her eyes in a look of near disgust as she held up the measurement from the board in their cell. Despite the gravity of the situation, both Sarah and Robert grinned at their friend. Then the sleeping guard stirred as a loud snore escaped him, and the three quickly returned to work.

* * *

><p>He spoke of seeing Ivan on the <em>Flying Dutchman<em>, of how he joined the crew, of how he had died at sea and sought a way to return. Anya could not believe it. Ivan had died? She was torn between relief, confusion and heartbreak. Her eyes welled with tears, though she could not quite figure out why. True, they had been close once, but that was years ago. And, like Will had pointed out, he certainly didn't seem completely dead. But how was that possible? Her stomach began to ache from the overwhelming barrage of thoughts and emotions.

As she doused the fire, Elizabeth sidled up next to her, packing spare provisions into a sack. "I had to tell Will," she murmured.

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I had to explain that we could trust you."

"By telling him I had lied about my identity, you got him to trust me?" Anya bit her lip. Surely he would never believe a word she said again.

"Anya- when I was younger, I did the same, for similar reasons, I can only assume. I explained as much as I could without giving away much, and he understands. If you were to tell everyone who you were, I'm sure they would all accept you nonetheless."

At that moment, Robin strode over. Addressing Elizabeth, he announced, "Captain Turner asked me to send you over. He's on the beach. He says it's important, but we can't panic. I'd hurry- it sounds bad."

As Elizabeth hurried off, he looked over to Anya, who still stood there holding the empty water jug. "Are you all right?" he asked quietly.

She glanced briefly around. Everyone was packed up and now sat around Jack's map and compass as he worked on a new course. When she was sure no one was watching, she replied, "I don't know yet."

He nodded, understanding what she meant. "You- you knew him pretty well, didn't you?"

She smiled sadly, glancing down at her shoes. "Yes."

He nodded again, then hesitated before saying almost inaudibly, "You loved him."

She was somewhat taken aback by this question. "Well, yes," she said. "Why?"

If she wasn't mistaken, he looked almost hurt.

"What's wrong?" Had he been offended by the fact that she'd loved Ivan? She hated to think that she'd hurt him somehow.

He quickly wiped the sad expression off his face in an attempt to look nonchalant. "Nothing," he said. "I was just curious, that's all." He looked around, as if searching for something to distract him. Upon finding such a thing, he said quickly, "I'd better go sweep up our tracks here. We're probably fine, but you know how it is, better safe than sorry and all. Do excuse me?"

Her brow creased with concern at this. What had she done? "All right," she said hesitantly. She watched his back as he walked off to complete his task. Was he _jealous? _Surely not. Still, she wondered.

As he continued to brush away the footprints covering the clearing, she walked over to him. Upon arriving next to him, she tapped him lightly on the shoulder. "Robin?"

He glanced up at her, then looked back down quickly. "Yes?"

"Why do you seem upset?"

He bit his lip. "I don't know, I just thought maybe there was… I don't know, something special between us." His ears turned pink. "Stupid, I know."

"Why is it stupid?"

"Well, you just said you love Ivan," he pointed out, "something I guess I should've assumed."

Now realizing the reason behind his actions, she smiled. "Robin."

"What?"

"He's my brother."

* * *

><p>Ivan Kovalsky leaned against a pillar, eyes glimmering as he watched the progress on his new ship. The <em>Black Pearl<em>, hailed as the fastest ship ever to sail the ocean, was now his. _Oh, Jack Sparrow. You're such a fool. Not that I mind, of course._ He smirked. This had been much easier than expected. He glanced down at the cup of tea in his hand, and his fist clenched. In a sudden burst of anger, he hurled the china cup against the wall of the cave. His dark eyes burned fiercely. He would have his revenge. He had been destroyed to spite his father, then he made a trade with his killer to be allowed back onto the sea after his death. The rest of his plan was now unfolding quite nicely, an intricately and expertly woven web of deception. When he was young and naïve, he had often played in this cave with his siblings, seeing the world in their imagination. The universe had seemed like a beautiful place then. Oh, how things had changed. The more he actually saw of the world, the less he liked it. As a child on this beach, he had had big dreams, big plans. And what had they brought him? Loneliness, hatred, death. But now he had the chance to rise to power, to overcome that which had once destroyed him. With one final, satisfied look at the broken china on the rocks, he spun on his booted heel and stalked off


End file.
